Love Me If You Dare HHr
by EmilyDee
Summary: An AU HP story involving a "dare" game between two childhood best friends that become more serious as they grow older. Nothing entirely original as it follows the storyline of the movie "Love me if You Dare" Jeux D'enfants . Harry/Hermione.
1. Author's Notes

Hello!

This is an AU Harry Potter fanfiction. Shipped couple: Harry and Hermione.

Imagine what would have happened if James and Lily wasn't killed by Voldemort. Voldemort is, in fact, nonexistent because he was vanquished by the Potters a long time ago. The Weasleys would be just little dust bunnies on the side, taking no major role. Hermione's parents weren't dentists and she has a SISTER!

The plot and dialogue are VERY unoriginal (yes, I will admit to that) since it has been copied off entirely from the French Movie, _Love me if you dare (Jeux D'enfants_) starring Academy Award Winner Marion Cotillard. Every single character here is totally OOC, except for Ginny, but then that's neither here nor there. Anyway, all I did was make the original story fit into a Harry Potter mold and this is the result of it. It was kind of like pushing a square block through a triangular hole. It ends up looking like a lame circle. So yeah, this story is sort of like that. I love the movie, love the HP universe (but NOT JK Rowling though I still have to commend her for making the HP universe).

I apologize ahead if there's anything in this story that offends you greatly (if it does, then by all means, stop reading!) No copyright infringement intended. No money being made. No nothing. I own nothing. So there! I'm just having a little fun and I can't write a good fanfic to save my life anyway. Be warned for a great many plot holes, grammatical errors, continuity problems etc. Like I said, I'm no professional. I just really wanted to see how it would look like if I meshed these two wonderful universes together!

Cheers! ^_^


	2. Chapter 1

**Harry's POV (11 years old)**

_I like Exploding Snap, Quidditch (but only when I'm the seeker, I'm a very good seeker you see) _

_I love Gobstones. I always win. _

_Wizard's chess is dumb but less than Muggle games like checkers, marbles and jacks. _

_Riddles aren't my thing._

_Self- shuffling playing cards, dungbombs and stink pellets, they're okay._

_Collecting chocolate frog cards is all right, but that's about it._

_But there's one game you must never play and I mean NEVER!_

_Even if your best friend wants you to._

_And that's walking into an enchanted room that turns you into STONE!_

_This game started with a flock of pretty birds. _

_A pretty castle._

_A pretty crystal ball and... a pretty girl._

_No, wait... actually, I'm wrong._

_It began a little earlier with a disgusting meaningless word, like _

"Incurable."

The Healer approached Lily Potter with a solemn gaze and a piece of parchment.

"We've done everything we possibly could to stop the spread of the basilisk's venom but unfortunately, we could not eliminate every drop of its poison. I'm very sorry."

James Potter took his wife into his arms and nodded slowly, his voice quivering, "Thank you for all your efforts, Healer Trelawney. W-we had hoped phoenix tears would be enough to heal the wound..."

"The basilisk fangs were enchanted with an ancient curse that cannot be reversed. It was sent to harm Harry after we destroyed its Master! Better it be me and not our son!" Lily countered as she tightened her hold on her husband, fresh tears falling from her eyes.

"The basilisk belonged to the Dark Lord?" The Healer asked, surprise and fear in her eyes.

James replied, "Yes, but Voldemort has long been vanquished... and so is the basilisk. But at what cost?"

He looked back down at his wife whose bandaged right arm continued to bleed profusely despite the fact that the bandages and healing charms had just newly been applied.

"We could give her blood replenishing potions and other concoctions to help her with the pain....."

As Healer Trelawney continued supplying medical advice to the couple, unbeknownst to the adults, 11 year old Harry Potter was hiding under his invisibility cloak in the corner, listening to everything that was said.

_Incurable_

_Sure! Why not "_Imperius_" while you're at it?_

_And it made Mum cry._

_Anyway, Healers suck._

_Their words suck._

_Their robes suck._

_So what could they know about mums?_

_And then, there are other nasty words_

_Like "Granger"_

_Don't ask. It means nothing either._

_Granger... and also_

"Mudblood!"

"Filthy Mudblood!"

"Filthy stupid Mudblood!"

The high-pitched taunts of Slytherin first year students rang throughout the halls of Hogwarts interlaced with laughter and choruses of "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" Having just had their first Charms class, the young Slytherins decided to test this new spell on the first student who crossed their path. As fate should have it, that person was no other than the Muggle-born Gryffindor, Hermione Granger.

Hermione Granger was a simple girl with bushy brown hair, buck teeth and a knack for being a world class know-it-all. But apparently, even without revealing her Muggle-born roots, she wasn't exactly someone who had a lot of friends, even in her own House.

Harry Potter watched from the sidelines as all of Hermione's belongings floated up in midair, bumping into each other so viciously that the thin leaves of her books were torn and scattered all around her. She was soaking in black ink from the ink bottles levitating above her head while the sharp nibs of her quills ripped through what was left of her parchments.

_All those words... they mean pretty much the same_

_They mean "I hurt, like no one else on Earth, Mars or even Merlin's moon!"_

* * *

_**(Flashback to earlier that morning)**_

"Do you like it?" asked Lily Potter as she watched her son fiddle with the glowing crystal ball that was as big as the palm of his hand.

"It was my own treasure as a little girl. Some say it can show you your heart's desire but, only if you look close enough. Otherwise, it's just a colourful glass ball."

Harry looked up at his mother who was lying on her bed, dark circles around her eyes were signs of fitful sleeps and her weary smile was a mask of her inner pain.

"Can it, really?" asked Harry as he pressed the crystal ball against his forehead, trying hard to see through the haze of bright yellows and oranges which faded into orbs of red and blue.

"I think I can see the Nimbus 2000, Mum!" Harry joked as peered more closely in to the orb, pressing his eyeballs against the glass.

Lily laughed as she took the crystal ball from her son's hands and twirled it around in her palm.

"I've never seen such a cool crystal ball, ever! Maybe on Merlin's moon but not on Earth!" added Harry as he snuggled closer to his mother.

"Want to know what I see when I look into the crystal ball?" Lily asked teasingly as she tickled her son's nose.

Harry giggled, "What mum? What do you see?"

Lily's gaze softened as she brushed her son's jet black hair back from his eyes, "I see you, Harry"

With this, Harry threw his arms around his mother and Lily held him fast to her, kissing his head and rubbing his back.

"Harry, it's time to go. Don't dally son, I can't leave your mother alone for very long" James quiet voice broke the tender silence shared by his wife and son.

But Harry would not let go. James came into the room taking young Harry in his arms, pulling him gently away from his Mum.

"Off you go, my luv." Lily whispered affectionately as James took her son from her embrace.

"Mum! Your crystal ball! Your treasure!" Harry cried as he held out the brightly colored glass orb to his mother.

Lily shook her head and smiled, "Keep it. My only treasure is you, Harry."

**(End of Flashback)**

A single high-pitched scream pierced the nippy autumn air breaking Harry's reverie.

Tears streaked down Hermione Granger's face as she knelt motionless on the ground, engulfed in a mini-hurricane of her belongings.

The Slytherins laughed as they continued to taunt her,

"Filthy Mudblood! Filthy Mudblood!" they chanted, stomping their feet in rhythm as they continued waving their wands in the air.

Filch, the castle's caretaker, saw the commotion and tried to help Hermione pull all her things together. As a squib, he knew what it was like to be taunted and teased by his peers. Jumping up every now and then to grab a flying book or quill, he managed to help Hermione salvage what was left of her personal items.

Harry Potter, determined not to just stand by and do nothing, approached the bushy haired girl cautiously, picking up a damaged Transfiguration book that had dropped to the ground.

"Hermione?"

The girl looked up, her brown eyes staring directly into his emerald ones, as she said bitterly, "You're mistaken. I'm the filthy Mudblood, remember?"

_Hermione had nothing precious that day either, so I had to share._

Taking the colourful crystal ball from his pocket, Harry turned the precious item a few times in his hands before holding it out to Hermione.

A beautiful grin graced her tear-stained face as Hermione took the glass orb from Harry's hands.

"You'll lend it sometimes?" Harry asked sheepishly as he gazed down at his feet.

To his utter surprise, Hermione answered back with a mocking tone, "You give, then take back. You really want it? Prove it! Are you game?"

_That was it!_

_I think that's how it all really started._

With a sly smile, Harry whipped out his wand. Looking up, he noticed that numerous fragments of parchment were lingering still in the air.

"_Avifors!"_ cried Harry transfiguring the pieces of paper into a flock of gigantic parchment-colored birds.

Then turning to face the Slytherin culprits, Harry smiled vehemently, muttering under his breath, "_Oppugno!"_

The transfigured birds then zoomed in towards the group, pecking and stabbing the Slytherins as they tried to run for cover, screaming.

With a few flicks of his wand, Harry made the birds grab unto the robes of the Slytherins, carrying them towards the topmost battlements of the castle and letting the green-robed children hang upside down. The Slytherins cried out frantically while trying vainly to keep their falling robes from revealing their undergarments.

Harry and Hermione were in fits of laughter along with the rest of the students who witnessed the scene.

"MISTER POTTER! MISS GRANGER! IN MERLIN'S NAME! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" came the stern voice of Professor Mcgonagall.

Looking up, she saw the dangling Slytherins and with a look of utmost horror, she called for the other professors for aid to get them down.

Throughout the chaotic turn of events, Harry turned to Hermione and smugly replied, "Game!"

"What did you do Potter? Trying to get my students killed? Answer me!" snarled Professor Snape, head of the Slytherin house and potions master as he emerged unto the castle grounds.

"Nothing!" cried Harry as he tried to snuggle out of Snape's greasy hands. Since most of the professors and students were preoccupied with getting the Slytherins down, no one noticed Snape manhandling a student himself.

"Hermione! Don't let him hit me!" Harry said glancing at his new friend.

"He won't!" replied Hermione as she grabbed unto Snape's cloak, forgetting about her wand, "Stop! Let him go! You've no right!" she screamed as she too, pulled and pushed.

"Be quiet you silly girl!" Snape growled.

"Don't let him hit me!" Harry repeated.

"He won't! Game!" answered Hermione as she dug her nails into Snape's skin, "Let him go! You've no right! Stop!"

"I said shut up!" Snape spat as he flung Harry to the ground and slapped Hermione across her cheek.

_Come to think about it._

_None of the other Professors came to like Hermione. Most especially Snape._

_The game just fell into place_

_If Hermione had the crystal ball, I'd do her every dare._

_Then I'd get the ball and dare her back._

_Bloody simple. And loads of fun!_

_A daft game? Maybe so, but it was OUR game._


	3. Chapter 2

It was Christmas time in London and everyone had gone home for the Christmas holidays. Everyone, of course, except for Harry and Hermione.

"One times seven!" cried Harry as he ran around the empty Gryffindor common room. They were playing their own version of hide and seek which involved Harry's invisibility cloak, Muggle Marco Polo and the multiplication table.

"Two times seven!" Harry shouted as he ran to the bottom of the Girl's dormitory steps.

"Three times seven!" He called again as he sped towards the Boy's Dormitory

"21!" a faint voice answered and Harry grinned as he went into the room and looked about for the owner of the voice.

"Four times seven!"

"28"

As he moved slowly about the room, the voice grew louder.

"Five times seven!"

"35"

Pulling back the curtains of his bed, he thought he saw a shimmer in the corner of his eye. With a smirk,

"Six times seven?"

"42" The answer this time came as an almost inaudible whisper.

Harry felt around the bed and tugged on a velvety material that came into contact with his hands. He pulled the invisible sheet revealing a beaming Hermione, sitting with her legs crossed on his bed,

"Seven times seven?"

"49" she answered softly as Harry pumped his fist in the air as a sign of victory.

**(Few Months Later)**

**(In Transfigurations class)**

"Could anyone tell me what an Engorgement charm is?" Professor Mcgonagall asked as she peered over the heads of her students.

A few hands raised, including that of Hermione Granger.

"Miss Brown?"

Lavender Brown grinned proudly as she said, "The Engorgement charm is a spell that enlarges an object. It means 'To Fill In'."

"Excellent! Five points to Gryffindor!" Mcgonagall nodded emphatically before posing her next question, "And who here can volunteer to demonstrate this spell?"

Again, a number of hands were raised.

"Mister Longbottom. I see you're looking quite eager. Why don't you do the honors?"

Mcgonagall placed on his desk a tiny pea. "off you go then, Mr. Longbottom"

Neville Longbottom swallowed hard as he straightened up and with a slightly shaky voice, cried out "_Engorgio!"_

The pea swelled and grew to the size of a small pumpkin and the class applauded.

"Well done! Well done, Mr. Longbottom! Very well done, indeed!" beamed Mcgongall, "Ten points to Gryffindor!"

After vanishing away the pumpkin-sized pea, Mcgongall asked, "Now,can anyone tell me different ways in which the Engorgement charm can be used?"

Hermione Granger waved her hand with such fervor that Mcgonagall decided to give her chance.

"Very well, Miss Granger."

"The Engorgement charm can be used to enlarge parts of the body that can enhance the appearance of a person. Take for example the lips, the tongue, the penis— "

The entire class gasped.

"Miss Granger!" cried Mcgonagall.

"The cunt, the clitoris, the arse..." Hermione continued as if there was no interruption.

Harry stuffed his fists into his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"Enough!"

"Would you like me to enlarge _your _cunt, you fuckin' slag ?" asked Hermione mockingly.

Her answer was a stinging slap on the face.

"Do you find this amusing, Miss Granger? Such language! 200 points from Gryffindor and extra homework for everyone!"

Lavender and Neville shot Hermione menacing glares while the rest of the class groaned.

"We'll see if the Headmaster finds this funny!" Mcgonagall glowered as she wrote furiously on a pice of parchment.

Harry carefully passed the crystal ball to Hermione from behind.

"Mr. Potter? What's going on? To the Headmaster with Granger!" ordered Mcgonagall pointing towards the door.

Harry and Hermione hurried out of the classroom with their detention slips hovering above their heads.

As they neared the Headmaster's office, Harry whispered, "Bollocks"

'What?"

"You forgot about bollocks!"

"I didn't have time" Hermione responded as she rolled her eyes.

After giving the password to the gargoyle which guarded the Headmaster's office, Harry and Hermione sprinted up the spiral staircase.

Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his large desk and after the dentention slips landed on his desk, he peered at them severely over his half-moon shaped spectacles.

"Discipline! Discipline is the mother of respect! Without respect, it is the end of the Wizarding World as we know it! The decay of the fundaments of this earth! And all thanks to whom? To Miss Granger and Mister Potter." Professor Dumbledore lectured from behind his desk.

"Game!" Harry whispered to Hermione.

"Pardon me, Mr. Potter? If the matter is of interest, please do tell!"

Harry gave no answer, stifling back a grin.

"What ingenious idea might one as special as you Mr. Potter possess in order to have the gall to interrupt me? For surely, Mr. Potter, though we all may not have the same death defying parents as you might have, I believe that a certain amount of respect —"

Dumbledore paused in mid-sentence as Harry pulled aside his robes and started urinating on the Headmaster's precious Persian rug. Hermione hid a smile behind her hand while Harry continued to smirk rather proudly as he finished his business on the headmaster's floor.

_It was a great game, only no one found it funny._

"SEPARATE THEM!" was the Headmaster's command to Professor Mcgonagall a few moments later when he dragged both Hermione and Harry by their robes to her office.

_Separate us? They wouldn't dare!_

_But they did._

_Hermione ended up taking classes with the Ravenclaw first years while I was stuck in bloody Slytherin._

_Which was really more than I could stand for given that I not only had to put up with buggers like Malfoy, Goyle and Crabbe, the very same buggers who led Hermione's attack on the first day of school, I also had to deal with seeing that greasy git, Snape on a daily basis._

_But everyone at Hogwarts would soon find out that no matter what they did, nothing could separate Hermione from me._

"Well, well! Look who we have here again! Mr. Potter! Care to join Ms. Granger, won't you? Great minds think alike, do they not?" Dumbledore grumbled as he saw Snape literally throwing Harry into the Headmaster's office.

Harry merely grinned as he brushed himself off and stood beside Hermione, subtly reaching for her soft right hand with his left and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Harry had just caused a massive explosion in the dungeons during potions class causing almost half the Slytherins present to be sent to the hospital wing while Hermione had lit the Ravenclaw girls' hair with blue flames saying that the color matched their robes.

"Do either of you know the meaning of the word 'punishment'?!" Dumbledore yelled as he glared furiously at the two Gryffindors before him.

Just then, bright green flames erupted from the Headmaster's fireplace and a young woman clothed in dark velvet robes stepped into the room, brushing away soot from her clothes. She was immediately followed by none other than James Potter who looked positively livid as he caught sight of his son.

The young woman sighed in annoyance as she strode towards Hermione and looked her over, pulling out her wand as she cleaned up the younger one. She was too young to be Hermione's mother and as James tugged on Harry's collar admonishing him, Harry glanced over towards Hermione's companion.

She looked almost exactly like Hermione except for the fact that her brown hair was straight and sleek compared to Hermione's bushy tresses. She had the same brown eyes but her lips and nose were different and more pronounced. Harry guessed she might be the older sister Hermione had mentioned a few times.

"Have you thought about what her future could be if you don't inculcate a minimum of education, Miss Granger?" asked Dumbledore, addressing Hermione's sister.

"Oy! I'm not her Mum, all right?" Helen Granger answered back bitingly.

"Vulgarity is not on the curriculum of this school, Miss Granger. Would you like for me to summon your parents here again and—"

"Our parents are Muggles who can't tell the slightest difference between an Engorgement charm and a bat bogey hex!" replied Helen icily as she held unto her sister's wrist. "Anything else, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore stood silent, his nostrils flaring and his spectacles askew on his nose.

Looking down at her sister, Helen sniped, "Have you gone mental? Do you have any idea what YOU are in for? You are eternally grounded from now on Hermione Jane Granger! No more dessert, no more library trips after school—"

"No more Quidditch games, card games, chocolate frogs, sweets and I'm taking back that bloody invisibility cloak!" James barked as he pinched Harry's ears.

But Harry could care less. As Hermione and her sister strode towards the fireplace, Harry grinned broadly at Hermione and winked at her. Hermione giggled in response.

"ENOUGH! WE ARE GOING HOME!" shouted James as he dragged Harry away from Hermione.

"Bloody brilliant! You too?" laughed Hermione before disappearing in a burst of green flames.

Harry continued to smile as he and his father had their turn on the Floo.

"Godric's Hollow!" Harry said as he threw Floo powder on himself and after the familiar sensation of dizziness found himself stumbling into his living room.

Brushing the soot of himself, he ran up the stairs heading for his parents' room.

He heard James' voice from the fireplace, "Straight to your room Harry James Potter! Don't wake your Mum!"

But Harry ignored it and instead flung the door to the master bedroom wide open, "Mum! Mum!"

Lily Potter was rummaging through her drawers, only to find herself being knocked down on top of her bed by her energetic son.

"Mum, you won't believe what I did today! Were you in bed the whole time? Lucky you! I had Potions! It was terrible! Snape made us brew this ghastly potion which would –"

"Harry, luv, listen to me." Lily said weakly interrupting Harry, "Healer Trelawney came to see me today."

But Harry ignored her and started jumping on the bed, "Which would make warts grow out of your eyes! Goyle wanted to ruin my potion but I saw his fat arm inching towards my cauldron! And guess what?"

"Harry, dear, settle down. I—" pleaded Lily as she tried to grab unto Harry's robes.

"I got a cupful of my potion and threw it into that bugger's face and warts started popping out of his eyes and I—"

But Harry couldn't finish as he collided into his father. James glowered down at Harry.

"And I did something really dumb." Said Harry as he looked up at his father.

James once again dragged Harry into his room, leaving his Mum looking desperately after him.

_Friends are like eyeglasses._

_They make you look smart. But they get scratched or break and then bore you._

_Luckily sometimes you get super cool magical glasses that don't break and make you see the funniest things._

_Like purple polka dots or flying camels._

_Me? I've got Hermione._


	4. Chapter 3

**(Summer Holidays)**

"— he held his wand, trying to coax from his own chest the shrivelled, hairy heart. But the hairy heart was stronger than he was and refused to—"

"Mum? Are you going to die?" Harry asked as he placed his hand on top of the book's page to stop her.

"I don't read well?" asked Lily, smiling softly as she laid down the book titled The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

"Are you going to die?' Harry asked again, telling her through his eyes that he wasn't going to give the topic up.

Lily looked at her son affectionately and nodded slowly, "Yes. Just like everyone else."

"Is it because of me?" Harry asked as he looked down at his hands. 'Is it because of all the trouble I've been causing?"

Before Lily could answer, Harry pulled out the glowing crystal ball from his pajama pocket.

"Here! Dare me to be good, and I swear I will!" Harry said as he shoved the orb into his Mum's hands.

Lily said nothing as she looked at the shining hues of purple and green that danced in the ball.

"I'm game Mum! I swear I am!" cried Harry.

"Be quiet, darling." Whispered Lily.

"No, not for that." Replied Harry with tears in his eyes.

Lily placed the glass ball aside and took Harry into her arms, covering his ears with her hands.

"Cover your ears! Hard! Harder!" she said before gazing down at him, "Hear how much I love you?"

Harry nodded as the tears started to trickle down his face.

"Nothing else matters, Harry." His Mum said before she directed her attention to the book on her lap, "Now, where were we?"

But Harry would have no more of bedtime stories and instead wiped away his tears before tickling his Mom's stomach.

"Hermione can write using her teeth! That matters!" Harry said as Lily laughed.

"Well, it seems neither your mother nor Beadle the Bard can interest you as much as Hermione!" Lily teased as she tickled her son back.

She grimaced in pain as she felt her wound bleed anew. But she hid it with a forced smile, "She can write with her teeth, eh? Too easy! How about with her ears?"

Harry's eyes were wide with amazement "Can you? And transfigure cherry pies into tarantulas in the Great Hall during Lunch? And nick a feather from Dumbledore's Phoenix blind-folded?"

"With one arm tied behind my back" answered Lily with a tired grin.

"No way!" said Harry, not noticing blood started to seep from his mother's bandages.

"You think you're the first to play 'Dares', Harry?"

Lily reached to caress her son's face with her left hand, "Good night, luv."

She kissed him on the forehead, then stood up slowly to leave.

"Mum!" Harry called to her, "What the craziest thing you ever did?"

Lily looked back at him and replied, "Fly."

"Fly? Without a broomstick?" asked Harry.

Lily nodded.

"Show me! Fly, Mum! Fly!" said Harry bouncing up and down.

"Game!" said Lily as she spread out her arms, positioning herself like a bird ready to take flight.

But then she looked at him and whispered, "Later."

"When?" asked Harry.

"Soon. I promise." Lily answered as she took out her wand. "_Nox"_

The lights of Harry's room dimmed and Lily left Harry's bedroom door slightly open.

As Harry watched her leave, he saw his mother collapse into his father's waiting arms.

"Lily!" James said as he held his wife, "The idea of reading him a story... in your condition? You should be the one in bed."

"Mum!" Harry called out, "Am I still punished? You see, Hermione's sister's getting married tomorrow and I was invited to come."

"NO!" James answered angrily as he closed Harry's bedroom door with a slam.

**(The next day)**

Hermione placed her finger to her lips, "Shhh... come under here!"

She gestured Harry to sit beside her underneath the dining table as she pushed aside the heavy table cloth.

Hermione was dressed in a bright pink and floral gown while Harry was clad in a smart looking black dress robe.

From underneath the table, they watched as the newly married couple danced and kissed.

"Her dress looks absolutely horrid." Remarked Harry as he observed the chaotic array of ribbons and lace that decorated the bride's skirt.

"Her bloke's face is much worse." Added Hermione, stifling a laugh.

"If I ever get married—" Harry started.

"You'll say no at the altar?" Hermione finished with a wide smile. "Game?"

"Game!" Harry agreed.

"Glancing at her sister and her new husband, Hermione asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up, Harry?"

"A tyrant!" Harry replied emphatically.

"A tyrant! With your people subjugated?" A twinkle of amusement in Hermione's eyes as she gazed back at Harry.

"Definitely! With harems and slaves and torture every Thursday!"

"Lovely!" smirked Hermione.

"And you?"

For the first time, Harry saw Hermione blush deep red. "Well, I... No, it's rubbish."

"Tell me!"

"You won't like it at all."

"I told you, Hermione, tell me!"

Hermione straightened up and with a shy smile, said, "I'd like to be a treacle tart. Served hot with a dollop of clotted cream or even plain cream will do. Looking positively delicious on a silver platter."

"A treacle tart? The dessert?"

"Of course!" Hermione replied with a laugh, "What else? A treacle tart is a treacle tart."

"A treacle tart?" Harry asked again with a puzzled look on his face.

Suddenly, realization dawned on Harry's face as he grinned, "But of course! A treacle tart! Bloody brilliant!"

With a smug smile, Hermione tucked a stray lock of brown hair behind her ears, "Well, are you game or not?"

Sighing heavily, Harry mumbled, "Game."

Then pulling up his dress robes, he unbuckled his belt and pulled his pants down.

Hermione looked on with a curious gaze, then seeing what he had to show, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "Huh. Not bad."

"Not bad?" Harry scoffed as he pulled his pants back up.

"Is that why wizards earn more than witches?" Hermione asked.

"Good workers have good tools."Harry replied proudly.

Hermione shook her head in disbelief and laughed.

"Your turn! Show me yours!" Harry urged.

Her smile turned into a deep frown. Crossing her arms, Hermione shook her head again, this time more forcefully. "No, that was _my_ dare. You're not allowed to copy."

"Are you game or not?"

Rolling her eyes, Hermione muttered, "Fine."

She pulled her knickers down to her knees and lifted up her skirt.

"Game." She said as Harry leaned forward for a closer look.

"That's it? I can't see a bloody thing!" Harry blurted out.

"See? That's why witches are smarter than wizards." Hermione stated as she let her skirt fall back down.

She looked extremely pleased with herself as she watched Harry scratch his head in wonder.

Harry then cleared his throat and after staring at Hermione for a few moments, he crawled towards her and leaned in, his lips a few inches away from hers.

She let him draw near but just before he could close the distance, Hermione pushed him back, "I think it's easier to just be friends, Harry."

Harry said nothing.

"Pull the cloth." Hermione ordered suddenly after hearing the waltz music stop playing.

"Game!" said Harry as he tugged hard on the table cloth.

On the table above them were small plates, champagne glasses and a gigantic wedding cake.

At the sound of plates and glasses breaking, the wedding guests gasped and shrieked.

"Hermione! Pull harder!" whispered Harry.

Hermione did as he said, grabbing the cloth with both hands and pulling on it with all her might.

"Game!" she cried as they heard a louder crash behind the table cloth.

The shrill scream of Helen indicated that they had done their job and the two started scurrying away under the tables.

Harry passed the crystal ball to Hermione and without another word, sprinted out from under the last table closest to the door.

Hermione watched with a sad smile as Harry disappeared from her sight.

* * *

Harry hopped off the Knight Bus and sprinted across his front lawn, only to find his father standing by the front door.

"Harry! Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you."

Harry begun racking his brain for a good excuse, "Well, I was just dropping off.. umm— Longbottom's toad over at his house because I saw it hopping around our backyard this morning and—"

James waved his hand to interrupt his son, "Tell me about it later, come on."

Taking Harry's hand, he apparated the both of them to St. Mungo's Hospital. Walking straight into the elevators, they headed for the sixth floor which was new addition to the Hospital, sponsored by the Black Family. On this floor were the Incurable diseases and diseases not otherwise stated on the previous floors.

Harry and James walked out of the elevator and into the third room on their left. As James opened the door slowly, Harry stepped inside to find his Mom lying on a bed, pale and still. Her right arm continued to bleed profusely beneath a bundle of fresh bandages.

"Mum!"

Harry rushed to her bedside and held on to her left hand.

Lily slowly opened her eyes and seemed to have trouble breathing as she tried to smile.

"Harry. My brave, brave boy." She said as she tried weakly to caress his face.

"You'll get better, won't you Mum?" Harry asked, feeling tears from behind his eyes.

"Game or not?" he asked.

Lily shook her head slowly, "You don't have the crystal ball, my love. It's not your turn to dare."

"I'll go get it!" Harry said as he turned around, only to have his father stop him.

"Stay Harry. Your Mum needs you. Give her a kiss now, son. Off you go." James whispered as he nudged Harry back to the bed.

Harry threw his arms around his mother and kissed her cheeks as he whispered, "I'll go later. Then you can teach me how to fly without a broomstick, all right?"

His Mum merely nodded as she closed her eyes again.

* * *

A few hours later, Harry was awoken from his nap on the couch by soft raps on the door.

He stood up to open the door and found Hermione standing there still in her wedding things holding the crystal ball in one hand and a bunch of handpicked flowers in the other.

Looking out into the hall, he saw his father talking to three healers. He recognized Healer Trelawney as on one of them.

"What are you doing here?" Harry muttered as he rubbed his nose.

"Harry." Hermione said, a touch of concern in her voice.

"Sod off, Hermione. You won't understand." Harry had no idea why he was sounding so bitter, but he couldn't help it.

"Sure... I'm only good for playing, aren't I?" Hermione replied, looking sideways.

Harry said nothing and folded his arms across his chest.

"Hop on one foot for the next hour. Game or not?" Hermione said as she handed Harry the crystal ball.

Harry took the orb and started hopping as he closed the door in Hermione's face.

Hermione's lower lip quivered for a few seconds before she turned away, tossing the flowers in a nearby rubbish bin.

Thirty minutes later, Harry was still hopping on one leg, jumping on the black and white tiles on the floor.

"If I hop over two tiles, Mum gets better!"

He leaped across two tiles and raised his fists in the air. Looking back at his mother, she still hadn't stirred since he arrived.

"If I hop three, Mum comes home for my birthday."

He hopped over three tiles and cheered silently.

"Hop four and she comes home tonight feeling loads better!"

As Harry bounded over the fourth tile, he slipped and crashed into the door. He gasped and looked over at his Mum. Lily's eyes were open but she made no sound or movement.

"Mum? Mum?!" Harry cried as he scrambled to get up.

James, hearing his son's cries, burst through the door with the healers in tow.

"Lily? Lily!"

Harry felt himself being pulled away from his mother as the Healers crowded around her bed.

"No! No! Mum! Mum!" Harry yelled, trying to struggle out of the strong arms of the nurse who held him back.

It was like everything was happening in slow motion. He saw Healer Trelawney shake his head slowly and his father breaking down beside his mother's bedside.

"Muuuuummmm!"


	5. Chapter 4

**(Godric's Hollow cemetery)**

James held his son close to his side as they watched the casket bearing Lily Potter being lowered into the ground. White and lavender lilies decorated the casket and a picture of Lily in her younger years was tucked in behind the sash that was wrapped around the coffin. All of Lily's medals were also buried with her as well as her willow wand.

The attendees raised their wands pointing towards the sky as a sign of reverence as a cloud of white smoke and brown ash engulfed the casket and when it cleared, the pit was covered with fresh soil.

James raised his wand and sparks flew out of it forming the words:

"_Beautiful and loving wife and mother. We miss you dearly."_

The words hung above the grave as the mourners bowed their head in solemn silence.

Harry wiped away his tears when suddenly a flash of red caught his eye. Looking up, he saw Hermione dressed in a bright red doll-like dress and standing atop one of the tall blocks that surrounded the cemetery. A circle of red roses and yellow tulips floated around her forming a moving flowery frame. Flicking her wand, she formed the flowers into a giant heart shaped wreath and made it encircle the enchanted words above the grave.

She then begun to sing in a loud voice, "All you need is love! All you need is love! All you need is love, love! Love is all you need."

All present stared at this impertinent little girl and started pointing and glaring. James jaw tightened as he fixed his eyes on Hermione but said nothing.

Harry smiled through his tears and Hermione glanced back at him smiling back as she continued to sing. "All you need is love" was Lily's favourite Beatles song and Hermione was the only person Harry had told that to.

"Love is all you need! Love is all you need!" she sang as she swayed back and forth on her heels.

**(Later that day) **

James opened the door to his bedroom door to find Harry standing motionless staring at the bed where he usually found his Mum reading a book or knitting.

James attempted to put a hand on Harry's shoulder but the boy shrugged it off and ran out of the room.

James sighed and ran a hand through his hair. What was he to do now?

Looking outside his bedroom window, he saw the wreath of tulips and roses still hovering above the grave.

With his mind set, he decided to write a letter. Taking a piece of parchment and a quill, he started to write...

_"Dear Granger,_

_This is Harry's Dad. I know that we may not know each other very well but I need to ask an important favor. Would it be all right if Hermione came over tonight? Please... Please send a response immediately through this owl. Thank you very much._

_Sincerely,_

_James Potter_

James hadn't noticed that his hand was shaking throughout the whole time he was writing. Swallowing hard, he opened the window and whistled. A snowy white owl swooped in from above and extended its leg.

"Fly fast, Hedwig. Harry needs this. We all do."

After a friendly nip on the finger, Hedwig took flight and disappeared.

**(That night)**

"Are you asleep?"

Hermione replied sleepily, "Officially, yes."

"Rumor has it that you pretend." Harry teased as he kicked her lightly under the covers of his bed.

Hermione shifted to face the wall gathering the blankets to her. "Yes, so I read in the recent issue of Witch Weekly. Pure gossip. Now good night, Harry."

James had enlarged Harry's single bed so as the two children could fit in comfortably. Both of them lay opposite of each other. Hermione's pillow was situated at the head of the bed while Harry's pillow was at the foot end.

"Can I sleep over at your place tomorrow?" asked Harry.

"No. Never." Hermione replied heatedly. "Never come to my place, ever. Promise?"

"But why not?"

"Promise me Harry!"

Harry sighed as he closed his eyes, "Okay then. Good night."

Downstairs, the music of "All you need is Love" echoed in the living room from a radio followed by the breaking of a coffee cup.

_Crack! _

_That's how you get bad habits. _

_I don't mean breaking cups. That's kinda fun._

_I meant sleeping._

_Hermione and me, we slept six years that night._

_And in the morning, our game started heating up...._

* * *

**(Harry, 17 years old)**

_And in the morning, our game started heating up...._

The sound of her wand alarming startled Hermione awake.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" She cursed as she scrambled out of bed.

"What time is it?" Harry mumbled as he buried his head underneath his pillow.

"It's time for my N.E.W.T.s exam, you twat!" Hermione replied hotly as she gathered up her parchment from Harry's study desk.

"What N.E.W.T.s exam?" Harry asked groggily.

"Potions."

"You'll fail." Harry snickered under his pillow.

"You bloody wanker!" Hermione growled as she smacked Harry with her pillow.

"I told you I hate that!" Harry answered as he hit her back.

"Hey! Watch it!"

In a few minutes, the two were engaged in a heavy pillow fight and the room was almost completely covered with feathers.

"The feathers!" Hermione said through her laughter as she tackled Harry.

"Ge'roff me!" Harry said as he pinched Hermione's bum.

"Ow!"

"Harry! What in the bloody hell is going on up there?" They heard James' voice holler from below.

"Merlin! He's coming up!" Harry said quickly as he took one more whack at Hermione.

'Where's my wand?" Hermione asked as she sifted through the feathers.

There were sharp raps on the door, "What's all that noise?"

"Shite!"

"Give me my wand!"

"Open the door or I'm coming in." James called from outside.

After a few seconds, James sighed heavily and turned the knob.

Looking inside, he saw Harry and Hermione sitting innocently on the bed and the room was immaculately clean. But just then a single feather fell from the ceiling and landed on James' nose

Frowning as he swatted the feather away, James said, "Hurry up, I hear you're taking your N.E.W.T.s at the Ministry today. Don't be late."

When James had shut the door, Harry and Hermione burst out laughing. Harry twirled Hermione's wand in his fingers as Hermione stood up to stuff the last of her parchment in her knapsack.

"Give me that." Hermione said.

But before he did, Harry noticed Hermione's oversized shirt slip a little over her right shoulder revealing her bright pink bra underneath. A sly smile spread across his face.

"What if Hermione Granger were to walk into her N.E.W.T.s exam today...."

Hermione groaned as she saw where Harry's eyes were gazing at, "No, Harry, please. Not today! I'm going mad as it is!"

"Game or not, Hermione?" Harry asked, the smile growing wider.

**(2 hours later)**

Hermione Granger walked into the Ministry of Magic and held her head high as people she passed abruptly paused and gawked at her.

As part of Harry's dare, she had cast a Transparency charm on her robes and so she was practically walking in nothing but her knickers as she apparated into the Ministry's office.

And her knickers weren't exactly your normal everyday ones. Her bright pink bra had flashing neon lights that blinked in increasing spirals around her nipple area while her underwear was bright green and had dancing leprachauns doing the jig around her pelvis area.

So far, she had managed to get to the exam area on the 11th floor without any incident aside from the ogling stares and dropped jaws.

Exiting the elevator, she headed towards room number 1108. Dozens of her classmates were already seated along the benches situated beside the door. As if on cue, a short plump woman stepped out of the room holding a clipboard and a quill.

"Hermione Grangare?" the woman announced in a croaky voice.

"Granger! It's Hermione Granger! I'm here!" Hermione replied raising her hand and hurrying towards the door.

The woman cocked an eyebrow and looked her up and down.

Hermione merely smiled apologetically as she could hear a number of giggles and murmurs behind her.

"Very well, then. Follow me."

Hermione heaved a sigh of relief as she went inside.

Harry bit into his fist to stop himself from guffawing as he watched Hermione walk inside the exam room, the leprechauns now doing the cancan on her ass.

_The rules of the game hadn't changed._

_What was called teasing as kids might now be called perversion._

_Do you know what perversion is?_

_It's a matter of taste, like Chinese food._

_You like it or don't._

_Only if you're Chinese, you have no choice._

As Harry ran a hand through his unruly jet black hair, he spotted an attractive looking redhead running her delicate fingers over the page of her Potions book.

With an air of confidence much like a young Don Juan, Harry slid into the space on the bench beside the girl.

"I'm Harry."

"And I'm 'piss off'." The girl replied without looking up.

_Life for me was like playing Beethoven's 5__th__ symphony_

_With fingernails on a blackboard_

Hermione was just in the middle of brewing her third potion when she was suddenly overcome by a creeping irritable feeling. She was sure it wasn't the due to the newts' testicles which she had just pounded.

Her examiner, seeing Hermione pause, asked, "Miss Grangare? Is there a problem?"

Shaking her head, Hermione replied, "No." And she immediately started chopping up some porcupine quills.

Outside, Harry was still in the midst of making advances towards his newfound companion.

"A Swelling Potion, eh?" commented Harry as he glanced down on the page the girl was on.

"I don't see why someone so gifted should even be reading up on that one."

The redhead attempted to frown but the innuendo was too much to resist and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Well, perhaps you're the one in need of it then." she retorted, trying to regain her passive composure.

Harry laughed again and lifting an eyebrow asked, "Fancy a closer look to see if I do?"

The redhead bit her lip and ran a finger along his thigh, "Hmm, I might. Are you taking the exam as well? Maybe we could study together."

Harry stifled a laugh as he threw his arm around her shoulders, "I usually do my studying alone."

The redhead smirked, "You know you could go deaf if you do that."

Back in the exam room, Hermione was just about to finish her fifth and last potion which, in all irony, was a Swelling Potion.

The sickening feeling came over her again and she hurriedly scooped up a bit of the potion and thrust it into the hands of the examiner.

"Miss Grangare! We aren't finished! You still have your dictation. Miss Grangare!"

"It's GRANGER." Hermione sniped angrily as she gathered her belongings.

"I did not authorize you to leave Miss!"

Just before she opened the door, she turned around and recited in one fluid motion, "A Bufuddlement Draught is a type of potion which causes the drinker to become belligerent and reckless. Typical ingredients include scurvy-grass, lovage, and sneezewort. The Calming Draught is a potion used to calm a person down after they had suffered a shock, trauma, or emotional outburst while the The Draught of Peace is a potion which relieves anxiety and agitation. Two of Draught of Peace's ingredients are powdered moonstone and syrup of hellebore. The Deflating draught is the antidote to the Swelling potion which in turn causes objects to swell up."

As she stepped outside, her eyes found Harry and the redhead girl with their hands intertwined. Huffing angrily after figuring out what was bothering her so much, Hermione stomped away heading for the elevators.

"I have to go. That was my sister." Harry said with a smirk before planting a wet kiss on the girl's lips.

The redhead shoved him back, "Bloody git!"

Harry laughed as he picked up his bag, "Didn't catch that, I'm deaf, remember?"

Running towards the elevators doors, he pushed his shoulder in to stop the elevator doors from closing. A very annoyed Hermione Granger stood glaring back at him with her arms crossed as she leaned with her back on the wall.

Harry merely grinned smugly, "It worked, didn't it? I did it!"

When Hermione didn't answer, Harry frowned, "What's with you?"

"You did what? Nothing! Except drool over that red haired hussy." Hermione responded as she looked away from Harry.

Harry ignored her comment and instead said, "The examiner had the wrong name! I changed it to Grangare instead of Granger, isn't that brilliant?"

Hermione looked like she could kill Harry with her eyes as the elevator doors opened to the main floor, "Bloody brilliant, Harry! Try changing the marks as well! Granger's absent and therefore gets a big fat T for TROLL!"

"Come off it! They're not that thick! They'll see you're the only Hermione in class and they'll give you the right mark. Besides, didn't you think it was funny?" Harry asked as he jogged to catch up with Hermione who went almost sprinting out of the elevator.

"An absolute riot, Harry. Did you see everyone staring at me as if I've gone completely bonkers, all eyes on my knickers!"

Harry bit his lower lip to keep from laughing.

Hermione shoved her hand into her pocket, "But what do you care? Here! Take it! Enjoy your prize!"

She held out the crystal ball to Harry.

"I don't even know the girl!" Harry declared not taking the orb. "I was just passing time waiting for you. She's lousy in Potions!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she walked faster.

"And can you please slow down?" Harry asked as he grabbed unto Hermione's arm.

Hermione tugged her arm away from his grasp as she said irritably, "Ginny Weasley, an absolute slag. Her claim to fame: shagging Oliver Wood, Puddlemere United's new captain and Witch Weekly's bachelor of the year. Also, she's got really wild earrings made of dragon teeth and unicorn hair."

"Jealous Hermione?" asked Harry teasingly.

"Jealous? Me?" Hermione replied pointing to herself.

Harry nodded, "Yes, you."

"Shag all the sluts you like, Harry. I just want to pass!"

"Damn, you ARE jealous!"

"Oh, sod off!" Hermione turned on her heel to face Harry.

"And as for Ginny Weasley, you have my blessing. Just watch out for her brothers. She's got 5 of them and they've got a right mind to do in anyone eyeballing their sister."

Harry snickered.

Hermione smirked back, "Though I've heard she's fucked every single bloke in Hogwarts, nonetheless. Even Filch."

"Stop, Hermione." Harry called as Hermione walked away from him again.

"I don't see why you should deprive yourself, Harry. Just bring me back her earrings. Game?" Hermione said before she disappeared with a loud crack.

* * *

"Mmm... Harry." Ginny moaned as Harry started kissing her neck and throat.

"Got a boyfriend?" Harry asked as he nuzzled her ear while pressing her against the girls' lavatory door.

"Yeah." Ginny replied breathless.

"Well," Harry smiled, "Now you've got two."

Ginny laughed before Harry took her lips into his mouth again.

Gasping for air, she pushed Harry back, "And is she really your sister?"

Harry grinned, "She sent me."

Ginny's smile faded and she shoved Harry out the door, "Then fuck off or I'll scream like a banshee!"

The door slammed in Harry's face.

Harry sighed and rapped on the door. "Oy! Open up!"

After a couple more banging, Ginny opened the door an inch and stood there with her hand on her waist.

"What is it?"

Harry propped his elbow up on the side of the door and looked inside, "Nice place you've got."

"I've shitty taste... but that's why I like you." Ginny said before pulling Harry back in by his robes.

15 minutes later....

Ginny struggled to set her robes right as she opened the lavatory door.

"Wait!" Harry called as he grabbed her arm.

"I have to go." Ginny said as she smoothed down her hair.

"When do we meet again?" Harry asked.

"Last week of school." Ginny replied before pushing him away.

"Wait! Ginny! Please!" Harry begged as he fell to his knees.

"What is it now?"

"Please! Give me your earrings! They reflect the beauty of your fiery spirit and red locks yet vibrant before your lovely breasts!" Harry pleaded with both his hands clasped together, "Abandon your numbed slave to their contemplation!"

"You're mad!" Ginny said as she closed the lavatory door behind her. But then paused, contemplating Harry's request.

Smiling wickedly, she took her dragon teeth earrings adorned with unicorn hair and opened the lavatory again to find Harry still on his knees.

"You're bloody mental, Harry. Now be a nice lad, and let me go." Ginny said in a teasing tone as she placed her earrings in Harry's palm.

Harry stood up and grinned. Ginny gave him a quick kiss on the lips and was about to leave again before she was stopped by Harry's hand.

"Believe in love at first sight?" Harry asked as he pressed his forehead against hers.

Ginny smiled while biting her lower lip, "Yes."

Harry stepped back and scoffed, "Naive."

As Harry walked away leaving a downright confused redhead behind. Meanwhile, the plump woman from exam room 1108 stepped out for the last time, glancing down at the empty hallway.

Muttering to herself as she scribbled with her quill, "Ginny Weasley. Absent. Failed."

* * *

A few hours later, Harry was strolling through Diagon Alley and entered Fluorish and Blott's bookstore. He headed straight towards the back room where he spotted Hermione opening new boxes containing the latest editions of Finny Creeton's _1000 ways to Skewer a Pixie_.

"Huh. What's this rubbish?" Harry said as picked a book and tossed it in the air, "Smells like roasted Pixies!"

Hermione snatched it from his hand, "Any damage on these books is taken out of my pay, so lay off!"

As she wiped the sweat from her brow, she glanced sideways at Harry, "Well?"

"Never liked redheads." Harry smirked as he opened his palm revealing the dragon teeth earrings.

Hermione lifted an eyebrow and huffed, "Well, well. You did it, you bastard."

"Tyrant." Harry corrected with a wide grin.

Taking her wand, Hermione levitated the earrings and muttered, "_Reducto_."

The earrings disintegrated into ash in mid-air.

Hermione looked pleased with herself, "Now Ginny Weasley has nothing."

"Except for Oliver Wood." Harry put in as he caught the crystal ball Hermione had tossed towards him. "With biceps bigger than his brain."

Hermione smiled mischievously, "I already shagged him."

Harry looked stunned.


	6. Chapter 5

**(Puddlemere United's stadium)**

"So how big are his biceps?" Harry asked as he watched Oliver Wood training high above ground.

"As big as your IQ" Hermione answered looking through her Omnioculars.

Oliver Wood landed on the ground and dusted himself off.

"You're into that kind of bloke?" Harry scoffed.

Hermione merely smiled at him as she walked down the bleachers and headed for the field, "As second choice, yeah."

Harry looked confused.

"Second choice?" Harry called after her, "Who's first choice?"

Harry hurried down after her.

Hermione approached Oliver Wood and after greeting him politely, slapped him hard across the cheek.

Turning away and walking away quickly, she shouted at Harry, "Your turn! Quick!"

Harry passed her the crystal ball as he walked towards Wood.

"Bugger off Potter!"

"Easy, Wood. Remember the good ol' days of Hogwarts?" Harry pleaded before hitting Wood across his other cheek.

"Ever heard of crazy bets? Reckon not." Harry said.

Wood growled and punched Harry in the nose. Hermione guffawed.

"You're bloody mad!" shouted Wood as he headed towards Hermione.

"Game!" Harry yelled as he pinched his nose to stop the bleeding.

Hermione gave Wood another slap to the face before running away, "Run Harry!"

This was not the end of Oliver Wood's brutal abuse as Harry and Hermione placed a tracking spell on him and could therefore find him anywhere in the world whether at his home, in the showers after a game, training in the field and even when he was just casually walking down the street.

They would find him and give a good smack on the cheek until he was nothing but a shaking shadow of a man covered in bruises.

They found him in the locker room after his match against the Chudley Cannons, almost in tears.

"Maybe we should stop." Hermione said to Harry from underneath his invisibility cloak.

Harry looked at Wood then at Hermione, "Kick him in the nuts."

Hermione glowered at Harry for five seconds.

* * *

**(One hour later)**

Hermione and Harry were walking down the streets of Muggle London.

Hermione was clutching a bandaged arm to her chest, she was given Skele-gro for the 3 broken bones in her wrist but the Healer advised her to keep it in bandages for at least 5 hours before she could use it again.

After she had done Harry's wicked dare, Wood had grabbed her hand before she could run away and twisted it so bad, Hermione thought her whole arm had come off. Harry threw a stunning curse at Wood before the man could do any more damage to Hermione and apparated Hermione to St. Mungo's Emergency Ward.

Hermione's next dare was for them to be Muggles for a day.

Harry's counter dare was that they walk around in circles for an hour.

Both were quiet as they turned into a narrow deserted alley.

Harry took the crystal ball out of his pocket and started tossing it up in the air a few times.

"Reckon we'd be back in Hogwarts soon? I heard Professor Flitwick finally figured out how to lift our flooding charm permanently." Harry said, chuckling, "The whole school was practically underwater for a week."

Hermione didn't answer and continued to walk.

They were still silent as they neared a slightly busier intersection.

"Apologize." Hermione said, glaring at Harry.

Harry tossed the crystal ball up, "Come on Hermione, it was fun! Did you see the look on his face?"

"Apologize!" Hermione repeated angrily, her brown eyes blazing.

Harry shrugged his shoulders, "If you're not game then don't play."

Hermione strode towards Harry and shoved him with her good arm.

"You know I'm game for anything, Potter! But what happened back there was unforgivable!"

"You're starting to sound like that dingbat Dumbledore, you know?"

"Apologize!"

Harry sneered, "Don't hold your breath, Granger."

Caught up in their heated conversation, they didn't notice that they were standing in the middle of a road, and a red sedan was blaring its horns behind them.

"Give me the ball." Hermione commanded as she tried to reach for the crystal ball in Harry's hand.

But being a world-renowned Seeker, Harry was much quicker and taller and so was able to hold it beyond Hermione's reach.

Hermione growled and jumped on Harry causing them both to fall over on the ground.

Harry looked up at Hermione and noticed that their faces were within an inch from each other.

The sudden closeness of proximity made the both of them still and silent.

He could see the tears glistening from Hermione's dark brown eyes and the rush of blood to her cheeks making it glow pale pink.

They lay there in the middle street for how long, they both did not know.

The sounds of horns blaring were but distant noises in the background.

"Kiss me." This breathless request coming from Hermione's lips.

Harry just stared at her.

To his surprise, Hermione smiled, "Game?"

"Game." Harry replied, grinning back.

Not knowing how exactly to approach this, Harry leaned up and brushed his lips against hers.

Hermione pushed herself up on her feet, grabbing the crystal ball from Harry's hand and jumped unto the hood of the red car behind them.

"I said kiss me, Potter!" Hermione taunted holding the glass orb high above her head as she climbed to the top of the car.

Harry raced after her and climbed the car as well. Still grinning as he slid his left hand around Hermione's waist and tilting Hermione's jaw up with his right, he kissed her slowly, running his tongue along her bottom lip.

Hermione slid both her arms around Harry's neck and opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. She felt his tongue collide with hers and his hands were running down her back. Harry tilted his head and pressed Hermione's body closer to his.

"Oy! Get off me car! Get off, I say! D'you hear me? Bloody hell! They're both blooming mad!"

Hermione pulled away from Harry and she smiled wickedly as she grabbed his hand. They both leaped down from the car and ran into another alleyway, the angry yells of the car's owner far behind them.

When they had run a little further, Harry pushed Hermione against a brick wall and continued where they left off, kissing her with much more fervour and hunger.

"Hold me." Hermione whispered between kisses. Harry answered back by lifting Hermione's legs around his waist. The crystal ball slipping from Hermione's fingers as she held unto Harry's neck.

"Love me, Harry." Hermione said as she ran her fingers through Harry's hair.

As Harry moved his lips down to her neck, he murmured in her ear, "Game."

Hermione stiffened and stopped Harry, pushing him back. Harry attempted to take her into his mouth again but she moved her head away.

"Is this a game to you?" she asked, breathing hard. The fiery passion in her eyes still burning but was slowly dissolving away.

"No," Harry answered back, "A dare. You put it out there."

Hermione nodded slowly, her expression blank. She placed her feet back on the ground and pushed Harry aside, "Well if I did, you didn't grab it."

Harry stared after Hermione as she walked away.

"Move your arse, or we'll miss our bus." Hermione called, not even bothering to look at him.

* * *

Back at Harry's home in Godric's Hallow, Hermione had taken all her belongings and packed them in her bag right after their brief "encounter". When Harry asked her where she was going, she simply said that she was going home. Harry tried to persuade Hermione to stay a few more nights given that they would be going back to Hogwarts soon, but Hermione refused and walked out without another word.

A few days later, Harry decided he needed to made things right between him and Hermione and using a Muggle phonebook, was relieved to find only one listing of Granger.

_**Edward Granger**_

_**Tel #: Unavailable**_

_**Address: 216 Spinner's End, Manchester**_

Hermione had never revealed to Harry where she lived, only asking him to promise to never go there. But Harry assured himself that Hermione would understand.

_It was time to grow up._

_As a kid, you think it happens gently_

_Yeah right! It whips you— like a branch from the Whomping Willow._

_Or when your father says,_

"It's over, Harry."

Harry was on his way downstairs, holding the crystal ball in his palm. He was just about to apparate to Hermione's place before his father stopped him.

Harry stopped in his tracks.

"Game over." James said with a stern voice. "You have your N.E.W.T.s and your final exams to think about! School will be over in 2 months. 2 MONTHS! So stop with all this bloody childish nonsense! You have tainted the Potter name for the LAS T TIME Harry! Do NOT mess this up!"

Harry shrugged, "Come on Dad. It's no big deal. Be Zen for once in your life."

"ZEN?!"

The lights of the house flickered on and off and an ill breeze blew through the house. Curtains were flapping and all of the open doors in the house slammed shut.

Harry cringed and drew back.

"You little shite. After all these years of keeping silent. You think I'm not zen enough?" James glowered as he neared Harry, "You and your games killed the woman I loved, who, by the way, was your MOTHER!"

"That's a fucking lie, Dad! I didn't kill Mum!" Harry countered back but his voice started to shake.

"We agree then that someone who isn't zen is a fucking arse wipe? And that it was bloody bullshit raising you alone!"

"You bastard! I didn't kill Mum!" Harry cried out, angry tears streaming from his eyes.

James grabbed Harry by his collar and spat his face, "Yes, I'm a bastard and game for breaking his son's face but not game to accept the fact that Miss Mudblood Granger has poisoned his son's life!"

Harry stood his ground and stared right back at his father.

"Cursed it in such a way that we no longer talk, unless that Muggle hussy has a dare out on me."

"_Mom_ was Muggle-born." Harry said through gritted teeth.

James threw Harry against the stairs, "You choose, Harry."

James took the crystal ball from Harry's hand and taking out his wand, he magicked the front door open and threw it out. James then pointed at the open door then at himself, "Her or me? Are you game or not?"

Harry was breathing hard through his nostrils and he pushed his Dad aside as he ran down the stairs and out the door.

He picked up the crystal ball that had landed on their front lawn and brushed away the grass from it.

With his jaw hardened and his mind set, he turned on his heel and disappeared with a loud crack.

* * *

Spinner's End turned out to be a street, on which consisted of a line of rather bleak and dilapidated brick houses. Situated nearby was a dirty river, the bank of which was strewn with litter. A mill with a tall chimney loomed in a distance. Given this rather bleak background, Harry guessed it is used to be a run-down industrial area.

Harry looked about and saw that the village looked almost deserted save for two elderly men smoking pipes a few houses down. A chilly breeze blew past and Harry stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets to keep them warm.

Harry started walking towards the nearest house and saw the rusty plate above the door bearing the numbers 216. He had apparated at the right spot.

Just before he put up his hand to knock, he saw words scrawled in black ink just below the handle.

_**Filthy Mudbloods suck dicks**_

Turns out Harry wasn't the only wizard who figured out where the Grangers lived.

Harry rapped on the door, there was no answer. He knocked harder, "Hermione!"

The door slowly opened and Harry saw a brown head emerge from the darkness.

"Hermione?"

"Hermione isn't here Harry." It was Helen. She looked pretty banged up. A bruise on her right cheek was purplish and black and her hair was in tangles.

"Helen? What happened to you?"

She just sniped back, "None of your business, Potter. Sod off, Hermione isn't in."

"Helen!" A drunken voice called from the inside.

The door shut in Harry's face before he could see who called her.

"What do you want?"

Turning around, Harry saw Hermione standing behind him. A maroon knitted scarf wrapped around her neck. She was holding a brown bag of groceries.

"I told you never to come here." Hermione continued in a low bitter voice.

"I—"

"Happy now, you've seen? Fancy scrawling more Mudblood hate on my door? Or maybe taking a couple of photographs of my sister beaten to a pulp by my Dad?" Hermione said in a mocking voice as she laid the bag on the porch.

"I thought your sister was living with..."

"They divorced five years ago. Though I thought she knew better than coming back to this bloody hell hole. Mum left, Dad's a fucking drunk. And now here you are."

Harry reached up to touch her face, "Hermione—"

But Hermione slapped his hand away before walking back the way she came.

"You promised me Harry. It was a dare!"

"Who bloody cares? Hermione listen to me!" Harry said as he jogged in front of Hermione, holding her shoulders to stop her.

"I care!" Hermione retorted, as she shoved his hands away again.

"I'm dropping everything! Everything, Hermione! School, Quidditch.... and I'm sorry about a while ago, I didn't know." Harry said, concern in his tone.

"Oh, you're sorry? Well, that changes everything now, doesn't it?" Hermione replied crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Look, let's just go... run away together."

"And go where Harry?" Hermione asked angrily, "Back to Daddy's house? Don't pity me Prince Charming, _you_ go!"

At this last word, she pushed Harry aside.

"Hermione!" Harry called and grabbed her arm. Then reaching with his other hand, he pulled out the crystal orb from his back pocket and placed it in Hermione's hand.

"Forgive me, Hermione."

"Piss off."

"Game or not?"

"Piss. Off." Hermione said. Her fist clenched tightly around the orb.

Harry gave Hermione one last lingering look. His emerald eyes burning into her own brown ones.

When she still said nothing, Harry stepped away from her and disappeared.

Hermione's lips trembled and she fell on her knees. As tears started rolling down her face, she let the crystal ball fall from her fingers. She buried her face into her palms and started sobbing heavily.

The crystal ball rolled down till it came to rest at the bank of the tiny black creek that crossed through her village.


	7. Chapter 6

**(One month later)**

Hermione took out the crystal ball from her pocket. She was glad that no one had taken it from the creek where she had left it for almost a month. But then it was completely covered in mud and looked more like a black stone than a crystal ball.

Now that it was all clean and shiny, she smiled as she looked into the brightly glowing colors of red and purple that swirled and changed into yellow and orange.

Hermione stepped out of the Hogwarts Express clutching the crystal ball to her chest.

Upon arriving, Hermione looked up at the Hogwarts castle in a distance and took a deep breath.

_To forgive me_

_One of the toughest dares I've ever given Hermione._

_But she never liked things easy._

_It took her time..._

_Maybe a bit too much._

_Meanwhile, my father's reasoning got to me._

Hermione found Harry in the library, buried underneath stacks of thick dusty textbooks. Hermione smirked thinking how different they both turned out to be after just seven years. Then again seven years wasn't exactly a very short time.

Hermione Granger emerged from behind the bookshelves dressed in something quite different from the usual Hogwarts uniforms. Clad in pale yellow dress robes that had a tint of tangerine that shimmered when she moved, Hermione turned heads as she walked past the aisles of long tables and shelves. On her head was a matching scarf that she used as a headband to keep back her brown curls which she had tamed with _Mrs. Bobbin's Hair Fixer-Upper_. The sleeves of her dress hung just a little off her shoulders, revealing much of her pale the glowing crystal ball in her hands, Hermione looked like a walking glow of sunlight in the middle of the dimly lit library. Madam Pince was preoccupied in the Restricted section far in the back, after an unusual explosion caused a stack of _Banshee book of Banshees_ to start wailing uncontrollably, so she couldn't be there to admonish Ms. Granger for not being in the proper attire to enter the library.

Hermione was three tables away from Harry when she looked down at herself, a tiny blush tainting her cheeks, as she took another deep breath.

Hermione slowly approached a table, setting the crystal down in the middle of an open book.

She pressed her lips together as she took a seat.

"Don't say a word." She started. "Let me talk."

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she continued, "You missed me? Because I missed you. You're a real tyrant, you know. It's so hard to be mad at you. But don't kid yourself, I still am. I want to talk and forget the game, just for once."

Silence.

Hermione smiled shyly as she smoothed down her dress, "Like my dress? I hesitated. Nicked it off my sister. She has another red one, like an overheated Chinese Fireball. Ha. That's the one I should have worn."

Silence.

"I must have spent, what, three hours in front of a mirror. My reflection almost walked out on me. Quite funny, really. But I got there, see? I'm pretty. You better like it. Or I'll kill you." Hermione bit her lower lip after she said the last bit.

She noticed some movement across her and she quickly said, "No! Wait!"

Silence.

She looked down and fidgeted slightly with her hands, "Where was I?"

Silence.

"The problem is... that even if you said 'I love you'... I wouldn't believe you. Harry, I don't know if you're playing around with me or not anymore. I'm lost."

At this Hermione looked up, her eyes glistening with fresh tears.

"Don't get up. Please. I'm not finished." She whispered desperately, "Tell me you love me. Tell me. Because if I tell you first you'll probably think it's just another game. Save me Harry... I beg you..."

She felt two warm hands close over hers on the table.

"B-B-Blimey!" Neville Longbottom breathed, a tear in the corner of his eye.

Hermione smiled forcibly, sliding her hands off the table and wiping her eyes, "Thanks Longbottom. A real lifesaver, you are."

She picked up the crystal ball, giving Neville an awkward smile as he watched her walk away, mouth agape and eyes still mesmerized at her practiced confession.

Hermione approached her real intended listener carefully. Harry, in turn, was preoccupied with his note taking, he didn't notice her standing next to him until she dropped the crystal ball in front of him.

Harry looked up.

"Hi." He greeted after a few seconds.

"Hi." Hermione replied.

When he said nothing, Hermione started, "Harry, I—"

"Came to study?' Harry asked as he pulled out a fresh roll of parchment from his bag.

Hermione fidgeted with her fingers again, completely forgetting what she was suppose to say and instead replied sarcastically, "You bet!"

"Not now, please, Hermione." Harry sighed as he turned his attention back to his books.

"When, then?" Hermione asked. "Tomorrow?"

"In a year." Harry replied, not looking at her, "I'm sorry."

"Spare me your apologies Harry." Hermione scoffed.

She noticed the title of the book Harry was taking notes from and she took it, "Muggle studies? You? Doesn't suit you."

"Give that back."

Hermione ignored him, "Your little trip down Spinner's End wasn't enough to enlighten you about Muggle living?"

Harry took back the book from Hermione's grasp and slammed it back on the table causing a few people to look at him.

"You know," Harry began, "We never did speak about the future."

Hermione's expression was unreadable.

"I mean... both our futures."

Hermione nodded and muttered, "Both our futures? Funny. I would have said 'our future'. The present not enough?"

Her hands were trembling a little now.

"I guess... I saw us going on like this for years. What rubbish..." Hermione said as she shook her head.

Harry stopped writing and looked back at her.

Hermione forced a smile as she rolled the crystal ball towards Harry, "Here. Pass your exam. Game or not?"

"I'm sorry, Hermione." Harry said not taking the glass orb.

" 'I'm sorry Hermione.' Right..." mocked Hermione as she turned her back towards Harry.

But before she walked away, she said slowly, "You know Harry. We did talk about the future. Once. And we weren't too far off."

Hermione looked back at him, "You becoming a tyrant and me a treacle tart."

With this, she left Harry at his study desk.

When she had disappeared from his sight, Harry tried to get back to work but knew that it would be impossible now.

He dropped his quill and raced after Hermione.

He caught a glimpse of her pale yellow shimmering dress just outside the library and Harry caught up with her.

"Hermione! Stay." Harry said as he jogged behind her.

"No, I really don't want to keep you from your work." Hermione stated acridly as she walked faster.

Harry grabbed her arm and dragged her into the nearest classroom, which fortunately, was empty.

"Come off it, Hermione!" Harry yelled as he pressed Hermione against the door.

Hermione was unmoved even with the sudden closeness of Harry's shoulder against hers.

"Go work. It's not a problem. I've got exams to pass too." Hermione replied in the same sardonic tone.

"I'm studying men."

Harry glared back at her, "Really? I don't recall sociology being part of the curriculum."

"Not humans, you bloody git," Hermione retorted as she suddenly grabbed Harry's testicles through his jeans, "Males. Guys. Hot blooded wizards. And I've got a lot of catching up to do."

Harry knew how to play her game, so he countered, "Well, look where we are. A classroom. No better place to learn. You game?"

"Game." Hermione answered without hesitation.

She then reached under Harry's robes and without breaking eye contact, started to unbuckle his belt.

Harry looked around uncomfortably even though no one was there. He then regretted his taunt and tried to stop her from continuing, "No. Stop. It's stupid."

But she didn't listen and started to reach her hand into his boxers.

"I said STOP!" Harry said as he pulled away from her grasp.

Hermione smirked, "Why? It was just a dare."

Then her smile faded as she continued, "Well. Back to my studies, then. See you in a year, Potter."

Hermione ran out of the classroom. But Harry was determined to have the last word.

"Hermione!" he called out to her, catching up with her again just as she reached the outside of the Great Hall.

"I'm leaving Hogwarts, Harry. I'm taking the Express back to London. I'm not coming back." She said as he held unto her arm.

"I thought you had exams."

"I lied. I finished a long time ago. I don't even need to be here anymore. I did tell you to sign up for earlier exam dates, didn't I?"

"And your current studies?" Harry asked.

"They're personal ventures." Hermione replied, not missing a beat in their exchange.

Harry grew silent as he looked at her.

"Anything else?"

"You know what I want to say.." Harry said looking into her brown eyes.

Hermione placed her hands behind her back and shook her head, "No, I don't. Say it."

"It's not that simple."

"It can't wait a year?"

Harry's jaw tensed as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a tiny blue bottle, "Here. Study with care."

Hermione didn't have to look at it closer to know what it was. Hell, every sexually active witch or wizard knew what it was. The blue bottle. Most well known and widely used contraceptive and male enhancement potion in the wizarding world. Probably just as infamous as the Muggle condom.

Hermione smirked, not willing to succumb to his callousness, "Trying to hurt me, Harry? Don't be thick, you know you never can."

She walked past him and strode towards the castle's front doors which were wide open as students were coming in and out of the castle.

Harry followed Hermione all the way to the Hogwarts Express station.

"Will you wait for me?" Harry asked before Hermione could get on.

Hermione looked back at him, "Is that a dare?"

"No."

"Then you'll see."

The whistle of the train interrupted them as the conductor looked at Hermione, "All aboard Miss."

Harry gazed at her for a moment before nodding slowly and turning away.

Hermione watched him, her eyes not willing to look away just yet.

The train started to move.

"Miss! Are you coming aboard?"

Hermione swallowed hard as she finally transferred her gaze towards the conductor and nodded.

The man helped her climb unto the moving steam train and she disappeared into it.

That was when Harry turned back around and realized that Hermione had gotten on board.

As the train moved away from the station, Harry immediately started running beside it.

"Hermione! Hermione!!" he cried as he banged his fist on the side of the moving train, "I love you! Get off the train! I love you Hermione!"

But Hermione couldn't hear as she was sitting inside one of the compartments, tears falling from her eyes.

When she mustered the courage to look out the window, she saw a lone figure standing at the edge of the station's platform but the train was already too far away for her to see the figure's face.

Harry watched as the train moved away till it was nothing but a speck in the distance.

He fell on his knees and hands as he panted heavily.

"Hermione....."

_What a git!_

_Look at him, on all fours like an animal, wheezing as an excuse for grimacing._

_Excuses!_

_Wouldn't it be easier to just hold her close_

_And hold her fast, the magic spell she casts?_

_When you press her to your heart_

_You're in a world apart_

_Oy! I'm talking to you!_

_D'you hear me?_

_Of course you do. That's just it._

_What a total bloody git!_

_And your troubles have only begun._

* * *

**(4 years later)**

Harry Potter walked into a Muggle cafe in London and after a quick look around, found what he was looking for and big grin spread wide across his face.

It's been so long. But he still hadn't forgotten. It took a lot of energy and resources trying to find her after all these years. He had travelled almost halfway around the world in search of her. It was almost quite a laugh when he finally found out that she hadn't left London at all. Typical Hermione. A downright mind trickster, that one. Sometimes the most unexpected places are those right under your nose.

Harry approached the counter slowly, dragging his hand through jet black hair which had grown a couple of inches as he took a seat on the stool.

"Excuse me." He said to the waitress who had her back to him as she fumbled with the coffee cups.

"Be right with you." Came the reply.

Harry waited till the waitress turned around and asked, "Can I help you?"

Her beautiful brown eyes grew wide with surprise and her jaw dropped just a little. Her bushy brown hair was kept back in a ponytail and she wore the cafe's white uniform dress which ended mid-thigh, a black apron was tied around her waist.

Hermione almost dropped the steaming hot coffee cups she was holding but regaining her composure quickly, she set them down on the nearest tray and pretended she hadn't just received the shock of her life.

"What are you doing here?"

Harry grinned, "Dedalus Diggle was right."

Hermione clenched her jaw as she looked away muttering, "Midget bastard."

Harry was still smiling when she finally looked back at him, saying "Got a dress robe for an enchanted evening? Or have you foregone anything that has to do with magic?"

"Keep your voice down." Hermione mumbled as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"Well?" asked Harry.

"To answer all your questions: No."

"Doesn't matter. I already got one for you. And dinner tonight is on me."

Hermione scowled at Harry's bright and cheery disposition as she busied herself with the next order.

Harry waited patiently until she finished, "I've something important to ask you."

Hermione responded with, "What'll you have?"

"Well, now that you mention it, a coffee and a--"

"A coffee and that's it." Hermione said tersely as she poured freshly brewed coffee into a dainty cup.

"Hermione. Can we talk?"

Hermione nearly slammed the cup down on the counter, "No."

"No?"

Then she gave her trademark sarcastic smile, "Sorry, Harry dear, but we never hit it off, you know. Especially on certain matters. Stupid little matters like... like..."

"Like?" Harry prompted.

She paused as she looked him up and down, "Like your taste in clothing. Your pants for example."

"My pants?" Harry asked.

"You don't wear gray socks with dark blue pants. Honestly, you look absolutely ridiculous. And your belt it's dark brown while your shoes are black. You're lack of utter color coordination and disrespect for proper fashion decorum irritates me. I can't even listen to you!"

Harry threw his head back and laughed, "Are you serious, Hermione? You've known for years that I've always the worst taste in Mug—"

"Drink your coffee. It's on the house." She interrupted as she pushed the cup towards him.

"Did you expect me to come sashaying in here in my 'proper' wizard robes?" Harry chuckled.

"I said keep your voice down!" Hermione growled under her breath as she wiped the counter.

Harry leaned towards her with his elbows on the counter and whispered, "You can't expect me to just take them off, do you?"

Hermione grabbed a tray with more coffee cups and walked around the counter, "Up to you, Harry. You're the one who wanted to talk. I finish at 7 every Monday. Come by later."

"Okay." Harry answered, still amused as he watched Hermione serving customers.

When she came back to the counter, she suddenly shook her head, "No, actually. I just remembered that I have an appointment at the Department of Mysteries after my Monday shift."

"Department of Mysteries? But I thought—" Harry said, a little confused.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, "You really are dense, aren't you Potter? This isn't my life. It's just a job to pay off Dad's debts. And, well, Ministry interns aren't exactly rolling in Galleons, are they?"

"Wait. All this time you've been in the Department of Mysteries?" asked Harry incredulously.

Hermione smirked, "I know all about your secret hunt for me, Potter. And unlike you, I'm not as predictable or as stupid. I go by a different name there and... well, literally, an entirely different person."

"What are you going on about?"

"Polyjuice potion, Potter! Honestly, and I thought you were suppose to be one of the top Aurors in the Ministry."

Harry narrowed his eyes, "Who do you go as?"

"Not like I'm telling you I don't appear to be that shipwreck you probably imagined me to be. I've been living."

"I didn't imagine anything." Harry replied. "Glad to hear you're working for the Ministry. Planning on becoming an Unspeakable?"

"Why what's it to you?"

"Nothing. Just that..."

"What? Think I can't handle being one? Think that it's not a job tailored for witches like me? That's so you, Harry. I mean honestly..." Hermione stopped, "Look at me. I said I wouldn't talk and here I am blabbering, giving you all the information that I've been keeping to myself all these years."

"Maybe it's time to share a little of it. Maybe over dinner?" Harry said.

Hermione shook her head and placed two fresh croissants on a platter, "Your pants, your shoes... distractions. Get rid of them! I'm trying to work."

As Hermione went about pouring tea and coffee, Harry bent down and took off his shoes. Then he started unbuckling his belt.

A plump old lady in a flowery dress and a straw bonnet that sat nearby, looked at him with amusement.

Harry looked towards her and nodded his head, "Hello."

"Hello." She replied with a laugh.

"Nice day, outside, eh?" Harry asked with a polite smile as he unzipped his pants, as if taking off one's pants in public was as normal as reading the newspaper.

Harry dropped his pants and placed it on the counter along with his shoes.

"So, are you coming with me for dinner or not?" Harry asked as he stood there in his blue boxers and gray socks.

Hermione turned around, took one look at him and started to laugh as she covered her mouth with her hand. But she immediately cleared her throat and resumed her indifferent composure. "No."

She took off her apron and hung it on a hook by the back door. Then she picked up a black purse that was hanging on the hook beside her apron.

"And where are you going?" Harry asked.

"Your questions are really starting to make me doubt your intelligence, Potter." Hermione replied as she headed towards the doors.

"But I thought you finished at 7 on Mondays!" Harry said aloud.

Hermione turned around to look at him just as she pulled open the door, "Today's Tuesday, you twat."

Harry laughed silently to himself as he grabbed his pants and shoes from the counter and jogged after her.

"Hermione! Wait!"

Hermione stopped and looked at him, trying to stifle a laugh as Harry struggled to put his pants and shoes back on.

Later that night,

Harry and Hermione were walking arm and arm as they headed to one of the top restaurants in the wizarding world. Situated somewhere in Paris, France.

With the Eiffel tower in the background and the River Seine flowing right by the side of the restaurant, it was the most romantic place on Earth. With floating candles and each table having its own self-playing violin, couples found it easy to get carried away by the atmosphere. The smell of roses and champagne scented the air and the view wasn't too bad either.

Hermione was dressed in midnight blue dress robes, a minx jacket around her shoulders and a diamond jewelled hair pin holding up her brown curls, all courtesy of Harry.

Harry was dressed in the traditional formal dress robes of high status wizards: black with silver linings and a single red rose on the lapel of the front robe.

Hermione laughed as Harry entertained her with his story about a horde of fire crabs that were set loose inside the Auror's office.

"Half the desks were on fire and Kingsley's robes were almost completely singed! Even after five hours, the bloody fire crabs just kept shooting fireballs out of their arse. Are you dating anyone?"

Hermione stared at Harry after the sudden shift in topic, "What?"

Harry repeated, "Do you have someone... in your life?"

"In my bed, you mean?" Hermione replied back with a sly smile, "Why do you want to know, Harry?"

Harry chuckled and took her hand in his as they entered the restaurant, "No reason. Just making conversation."

The maitre d' took their coats and seated them at a table overlooking the river, with the Eiffel tower in the background. The violin floating above them started to play a slow, moving French piece and fresh white rose petals fell from out of nowhere and landed on their table.

Hermione giggled as Harry brushed a petal out of her hair.

"So..." Harry began. "Are you in love?"

"I've no one in my bed, if that's what you're asking. At least, no one I can't change with the sheets." Hermione replied, leaning forward on her elbows.

"He's a Quidditch seeker." Hermione continued coyly, "His name is Viktor Stanislav Krum. Or was... I dumped him this morning."

"That's quite a mouthful," commented Harry.

"That's why I spit him out." Hermione said as she gave him a smug smile.

"And since this morning?"

"Apart from Viktor?" asked Hermione resting her chin on her palm, "There's Charles, his best friend and Ivan, his father. A Scot. A couple of Johns. The Princes of England. Goblins from Gringott's. Nothing too serious, a heart up of grabs."

Harry chuckled at her answers.

Hermione looked up and saw two floating glasses land on their table followed by a levitating bottle of Dom Perignon champagne which poured itself into the two glasses.

Hermione looked out at the river then back at Harry, "Fancy restaurant. Expensive champagne. You do things so well, Potter, I'd have sworn you were coming unto me."

Harry merely smiled back. "Does it seem so unlikely?"

Hermione wanted to ask what exactly he meant but was interrupted as a waiter approached and served them what looked like a large white dragon's egg on a silver platter.

Hermione's eyebrow lifted as she looked at Harry but Harry said nothing and pushed it aside.

A group of three witches passed by their table and the dress robes of one of them caught Hermione's eye.

The black-haired witch in pale yellow robes with a shimmer of tangerine took a seat and was laughing giddily as her other friend made a joke.

Hermione smirked and looked at Harry, nodding towards the woman, "See that girl?"

Harry looked behind him to see who Hermione was pertaining to.

"She's wearing the same dress robes I did last time. How long ago was that? Four years ago?"

Harry looked back at her and nodded.

"Doesn't suit her." Hermione stated as she took a sip of champagne, "A real blob! Did I look that dumb in it?"

"Don't say that, Hermione. You don't even know her." chided Harry as he fingered the stem of his glass.

"Well neither do you! What's it matter?" Hermione replied as she bit back a laugh.

Harry didn't reply as a he gave her another one of his crooked smiles.

"Anyway, enough about that. I reckon your N.E.W.T.s didn't turn out so bad after all, given your status and popularity in the Auror department." Hermione said, redirecting the conversation.

"My N.E.W.T.s were purely tactical." Harry replied.

Then taking his champagne glass, he lifted it up, "Let's make a toast."

Hermione grinned as she in turn lifted her glass, "What shall we toast to?"

"To us." Harry replied, a softness in his eyes, "To the present. To what I have to say."

He clinked their glasses together, "I've been waiting for years, Hermione."

Hermione's smile suddenly felt forced, "To talk about what?"

Harry drained his glass before setting it down.

"About me." He replied.

Hermione had to keep herself from snorting, "About you? Well, I don't know why I'm surprised. That's all you used to do anyway."

"Then, let's say... about my heart."

Harry reached over and held Hermione's hand, gently squeezing it.

Hermione was silent as she gazed at their hands.

"Hermione, I'm in love." Harry confessed.

It took her few moments to register the words before she looked back at him, "In love? Just like that?"

Harry shook his head slowly, "No, not just like that. It's been years. Years of silence."

Hermione felt her heart start to beat just a little faster.

"I want to get married." Harry whispered.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she covered her mouth with right hand, nearly knocking over her wineglass.

"Do you agree?" Harry asked.

Hermione's laughter slowly died when she saw the seriousness in Harry's eyes. She took another sip of champagne to calm herself, swallowing hard as she tried to the find the words,

"W-what are you saying, Harry? Am I game? Remember at my sister's wedding? You told me you were 'game' about not getting married."

Harry leaned closer as well, "Well... what do you say today?"

Hermione looked at Harry harder trying to figure out if this really was happening.

"Do you— do you really want to, Harry?" she asked.

Harry smiled, "Well, for that, I need you."

Hermione stifled a laugh again, "Well, obviously, you can't just get married all by yourself."

Harry reached into his robes as Hermione held her breath. To her surprise, he pulled out his wand.

A fresh batch of white petals fell again unto the table, and with a swish of his wand, they petals came together and in a sparkling flash of light, formed two beautiful silver wedding rings.

The rings floated into Hermione's open palm as gently as the petals that formed them.

Hermione felt as if all the air had been knocked out of her.

Harry reached out and brushed his finger against her hand, "I'm entrusting them to you until the ceremony."

"Harry, listen—"

"Do you accept?"

Hermione tried to look up at him but she couldn't.

"Hermione, do you accept?"

She felt tears at the corner of her eyes as she nodded. Slowly at first then more vigorously when Harry repeated the question.

Harry laughed, "You accept?"

Harry pushed his chair back to stand up and applaud. "She accepts. She accepts!"

People from the surrounding tables applauded as well. Hermione looked up at Harry again, smiling with closed trembling lips.

Harry walked over and kneeled before Hermione taking her hands in his and kissing them, "You have no idea how much this means to me, Hermione. Thank you. Thank you for accepting to be my witness."

_Witness._

Hermione's smile was wiped off her face so quickly at the mention of the word. The gleam from her eyes suddenly darkened and her jaw grew tense as she stared at Harry.

_Witness?_

Harry released her hands and then stood up. He held his hand out towards the witch dressed in pale yellow robes, who stood up beaming as she took Harry's hand.

Hermione could not believe what was happening. Her cheeks were red from embarrassment and anger. She balled up her hands into fists, the weddings rings digging into her palm.

"Meet my fiancée, Cho. Pretty, isn't she?" Harry smirked as he circled his arm around the woman's waist.

"No." Hermione replied laconically.

Harry looked at his fiancée fondly, "That same dress, I bought it for her."

Hermione exhaled hard as she glared at him.

Harry's expression turned serious as he approached Hermione, "You said I couldn't ever hurt you Hermione. Well... Game."

Harry took the dragon egg that was on the table and opened it.

Inside was the brightly lit crystal ball shining in all its vibrant hues.

"It's yours." Harry whispered mockingly. "Now, we're even."

Hermione nodded again but this time with suppressed fury rather than joy.

"Harry, dear, why don't you introduce us?" Cho said as she held unto her fiancé's arm.

Hermione forced a smile and stood up, not willing to let herself undergo even more embarrassment. She knew when to back down and when to step up with a brave face on.

"Cho, this is Hermione. Hermione, Cho."

Hermione shook Cho's hand firmly.

"My future." Harry said as he brushed Cho's black hair from her face before looking back at Hermione, "And my past."

Hermione took Harry's hand and said in a rather mock example of Cho's voice, "Harry, dear, I have something to show you."

She took the crystal ball in her hand, placed it in Harry's and then forced his hand to fling the glass orb into the River Seine.

The crystal ball glimmered for a moment in the water before sinking into the shadowy depths below.


	8. Chapter 7

**(Scotland)**

"Will everyone please rise as the couple will now exchange vows." The presiding wizard of the ceremony instructed, raising both his hands.

The wedding ceremony took place on a beautiful hilltop in Scotland overlooking the ocean. The sun was just about to set; coloring the sky peach orange as soft purple wisps of cloud hovered over the area.

Underneath the billowing white canopy, Harry Potter, decked out in his white tuxedo-style dress robes, took his bride-to-be's pale white hands in his.

Cho Chang smiled blissfully. Her long black hair braided with small white lotus flowers and silver ribbons. The white satin dress robes she wore made her look like a modern goddess. A thin gold rope wove around her tiny waist, her sleeves connected by silver buttons and a long transparent veil hung over face. A crown of spring flowers on her head and a bracelet of gems on her wrist. No one could deny that she looked positively exquisite.

The couple and all their guests were barefoot on the grassy hilltop. Some of the guests were dabbing their eyes as they stood up.

James looked on proudly from his seat up front on the groom's side.

Meanwhile, from a distance, bright yellow heels were being carelessly tossed aside as a young woman dressed in a ridiculous bubblegum pink tool skirt and a blood red corset top made her way towards the wedding canopy. Brown curls tied up in and decorated with a long red sash. Tiny fat bluebirds twittered as they circled above her head. In her white gloved hands, she gripped a small bouquet of plastic roses and a circular orb that was emanating shades of green and purple.

"Cho Liu Chang, do you take as your husband Harry James Potter to love and to cherish till death do you part?"

Cho bit her lip and blushed before she whispered, "Yes, I do."

Harry smiled as he squeezed Cho's hands affectionately.

"And you, Harry James Potter, do you take Cho Liu Chang as—"

Just then Harry felt something bump against his foot. Looking down he saw the gleaming crystal ball casting rainbow shades on his white pants.

"— to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

Harry clenched his jaw and glanced to his right, his emerald green eyes meeting Hermione Grangers twinkling brown ones as she stood in the aisle winking at him. She mouthed the word, "No."

The air surrounding the ceremony suddenly grew tense and awkward as the guests turned to gawk at this audacious intruder.

The fury on James' face could not be described as he glared at Harry.

"Harry James? Your fiancée is waiting." The wizard prompted.

Harry looked back at Cho, whose eyes were now filled with confusion as she squeezed his hands to the point that they were starting to grow numb.

Harry turned his gaze back at Hermione who was still there standing with a Cheshire cat grin on her face, devious and daring.

"Do you take Cho Liu Chang as your wife?" The ceremony wizard repeated.

Harry turned his back on Hermione, looking at the wizard and nodded, "Yes. Yes, I do. I take Cho as my wife."

But no one was smiling or applauding.

Hermione's smile was wiped off her face but the fire in her eyes had not yet died down.

"Good, good." The wizard said, smiling despite the apprehensive atmosphere under the canopy, "Now, if there is anyone present who believes this couple should not be—"

"I DO!" Hermione's clear voice interrupted.

Everyone was suddenly silent with the twittering of Hermione's birds the only sounds punctuating the air.

"I object to this marriage! Harry James Potter is engaged to ME!" Hermione declared as the birds flying over her head burst apart causing a heap of blue feathers to cover the guests seated next to the aisle.

"WHEN WILL SHE LEAVE US IN PEACE?" The roaring voice of James Potter rose over the gasps and chatters of the small crowd.

James' face was red with anger as he pointed at Hermione, "Get this hussy out of here!"

Hermione drew near to Harry begging, "Harry, tell them! Are you game or not?"

"Leave, Hermione!" Harry said angrily as he gripped Hermione's arms and pushed her back.

"HARRY!" This was Cho crying out next to him.

"You've got a real problem, Potter." Hermione muttered sardonically to Harry as she faced him, "Your Mum died, leaving you Oedipal. You never fucked Mum or killed Dad. And now at 22, you're begging instead of living!"

James strode forward and attempted to wring Hermione's neck if three wizards hadn't pulled him away.

"Dad! Stop!" Harry said as he put himself between Hermione and his father.

"Yes, I'll stop!" James yelled back, "I'll stop everything! Look at me, Harry. And look very well. This will be the last time you will ever see me. You've chucked me around long enough. Now it's over."

Harry looked as if he had been hit by a train, dazed and bewildered.

"Over! Do you hear me? The game, the humiliation! You are out of my life. From now on, YOU DON'T EXIST!" James growled as he tore himself from the wizards trying to hold him back and turned around to leave.

James disappeared as soon as he left the canopy.

Hermione was standing at the side, her hands folded as if in prayer with her head bowed.

Harry elbowed her aside as he rushed back to his wife-to-be.

"Cho, don't listen to her. It's just a child's game."

Cho swatted his hands away as she rushed to her parents on the side.

"Cho, please, stop! It's a game!" Harry reasoned as Cho buried her face in her mother's neck. Cho's father shielded her with his arm, glaring at Harry.

No one noticed Hermione as she discreetly slipped out, walking back to the place where she had thrown her yellow heels.

_What a slag!_

_What a prized slag!_

_You can't get much better._

1 hour later.

In the middle of a rail road somewhere in Scotland.

"Harry!" this was Hermione's voice as she stood in the middle of the train tracks, blindfolded with the red sash that had been tied around her hair, which was now flying loose.

_Isn't she just superb?_

"Harry? Can you hear me?" Hermione asked, her hands keeping her bubblegum pink skirt from flying up.

_Always ready to get squashed by a train._

"It was just a joke! A kids' dare!" Hermione continued.

Harry was sitting a few feet away on top of a wooden log twirling his wand as he stared at Hermione. A grim look on his face and a silent fury growing in his eyes.

Hermione rolled her eyes from underneath her blindfold and crossed her arms, "I mean, honestly, what's a wedding but fancy dress robes and flying bottles of champagne?"

Harry dug his shoe into the ground, kicking a few rocks as he listened to her.

"Just freeze the tarts and wrap up the foie gras! I've done it. You can eat it later."

Harry still remained silent as he picked up a stone, wanting so much to throw it at her but chose instead to chuck it towards the other side.

"Harry. You love each other don't you? That's what really matters, right?"

From a distance, the blaring horns and bells from a coming train echoed in the air.

"Harry, can you hear me? I'll behave and be good!" Hermione declared.

Harry stopped staring at the ground and returned his gaze back at this witch, seconds away from getting crushed by a rushing train.

"I'll be a real witness next time. I promise! Cross my heart, hope to die!" Hermione said as she traced an X over her chest.

The train was almost upon her, and a loud blast came from behind her.

"Harry, what's that?"

Harry said nothing.

"Harry! Say 'stop'! Harry, quit playing around! Tell me to move! Please! Harry!" Hermione pleaded frantically.

Harry still didn't respond waiting for the final moment.

Just as the train was 3 seconds way from hitting Hermione, she pulled off her blindfold and jumped towards the side.

The speeding train barrelled past her, barely two feet away from her.

Hermione was breathing hard, feeling her heart pound violently in her chest as she fell on her knees, forgetting the fact that the ground was made of hard gravel and rocks.

Harry's gaze never left Hermione as he watched her slowly get up from the ground, even when she flashed him a look that could make a Death Eater guilty and ashamed.

"Go to hell." Harry whispered under his breath. Meaning every word.

"Alright. But you're coming with me." Hermione replied in the same tone.

She took out her wand from underneath her red corset, "_Accio_ crystal ball!"

The crystal ball zipped from Harry's pocket to her hand.

Hermione gazed at it for a few seconds before looking back at Harry, "We don't meet for ten years. Game?"

But she didn't wait around for Harry's answer as she disappeared with a soft "pop".

Hermione had released her red sash before she apparated and Harry watched as it fluttered with the wind. Dancing high up in air like a red Chinese dragon slithering across the sky. He followed the sash with his eyes until it disappeared behind the trees.

* * *

**(Somewhere in Germany)**

A loud unceasing rap on his door woke Viktor Krum from his nap on the couch. Cursing in Bulgarian as he made his way through the door, scratching his head as he tied the drawstrings of his boxers with his other hand.

Opening the door, he was taken aback when he saw Hermione Granger, brown bushy hair dishevelled and clad in the most ridiculous outfit he had ever seen. Even his groupies, who wore insanely preposterous garb to his matches, couldn't match what his former girlfriend had on.

Hermione saw the incredulous look on his face and held up one finger as she barged into his flat like it was her own, "Not a word, Viktor. We need to talk."

Viktor shrugged, "About vat, Hermy?"

"About that offer to be United Kingdom's newest seeker." Hermione responded, throwing aside the crystal ball she held in her palm towards the couch. She dropped her skirt to the floor as she unzipped her corset halfway.

"Don't know." Viktor replied, staring at this half-naked woman in his living room, "No owl from dem yet."

"Really? Well, isn't that just fascinating? Then perhaps I came back here at the wrong time or by mistake." Hermione said, sarcasm in her tone as she zipped her corset back up.

Viktor shook his head and looked confused, "Hermy, you come back and break me up almost every week, you may get membership, you know."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I'm just sick of being penniless, Viktor. The choice is yours. I won't spend my life with a worthless Quidditch seeker. Think I want to come back to you living in this bloody pathetic excuse for a flat each week?"

Viktor approached Hermione and held her shoulders as he kissed her neck, " Listen, I vill make money..."

"No, you don't understand, Viktor." Hermione said as she shrugged off his hands, "I don't want just the money. I want it all! The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! The Elixir of Life!"

Hermione then turned around and faced Viktor with a lazy, seductive grin as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "Am I not worth all that, Vicky, my love?"

_Game, set and match Hermione._

_Nothing could've been worse._

_Nothing..._

_Nothing for ten years._

_Nothing for 3,652 days and 3,653 nights._

_The game was over._

_The games: the spice of my life._

_I wandered through it like a Racine tragedy_

"_Where am I, what done, and my future hours?_

_What transport grips me,_

_What woe devours?_

_May I not know if I do love or hate?_

_Hermione me did bait, flay me and slay me_

_Fuck me, chuck me and other silly rhymes..."_

_And I ended up thinking about the past,_

_Resigning myself to a bland existence..._

_Love, family, work... the Family Clock that oscillates from home to work and back again._

_Pure Racine._


	9. Chapter 8

CHAP 8

**(10 years later)**

"Harry! Throw that garden gnome over the fence, please darling."

Harry muttered to himself as he bent down and picked up the short beastly creature, swung it around and then threw it over the fence. He heard the gnome's cries of obscenity as it landed hard on its rump.

"Harry! There's one more behind you!" His wife, Cho, called again from the inside of the house.

Harry heaved a heavy sigh as he looked around for the sighted perpetrator.

He was going to be late for work.

Ron Weasley, the newly appointed Head of the Auror Office was no doubt going to take the mickey out of him today.

Funny how fate ends up biting you in arse one day. But Harry wasn;t really too keen on laughing about it now.

Many people had been eyeing Harry as the next in line to be the Head of the Aurors but after a nasty fallout with the Ministry concerning a certain Rubeus Hagrid and an illegal Norwegian Ridgeback egg incident six years ago that blew out of proportion (let's just say that the Ridgeback mysteriously got away and all fingers pointed to Potter as the reason for the slip), a fresh graduate from Hogwarts had a better chance at becoming Head of the Aurors than Harry Potter.

"Harry! Won't you kiss your wife goodbye?" Cho chimed from the front door after Harry had gotten rid of the second garden gnome.

Harry hurried back up the front porch and gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek.

"Children!" Cho called looking back in the house, "Kiss your father goodbye!"

Two black haired children, one a 5 year old boy named William and a 7 year old girl named Emily could be heard running down the stairs and out the door.

"Goodbye Daddy!" The two said simultaneously as they held on to each of Harry's legs.

"Sunshine Daisies, Butter mellow!" Harry chanted as he hobbled along with his children still clinging to him.

"Turn our daddy fat and yellow!" The children finished, taking out their fake wands and pointing them at Harry.

Harry pretended to be hit by their spells, "Ahh! Now I'm a fat banana!"

Both the children laughed and let go of their father's leg.

"There we go! Be good now." Harry said patting both their heads.

"Daddy! Do you have Mummy's anniversary present?" asked William who inherited his mother's eyes and his father's unruly black hair.

"Shhhh!" Harry said as he placed his fingers to his lips. "Not a word from you lot!"

Emily giggled, her emerald green eyes sparkling, "Is it a surprise?"

Harry nodded as he knelt down so he could be eye to eye with his children, "Can you keep a secret?"

The children shook their heads.

"A dragon secret?" Harry prompted.

Emily giggled again.

"What about a TROLL secret?"

Will scrunched up his nose.

"Or how about..." Harry said moving his eyebrows up and down.

William gasped and whispered with a grin, "A hippogriff secret?"

William was extremely fascinated with hippogriffs that his parents were quite certain he'd be a hippogriff keeper when the lad would grow up.

Harry nodded, "Exactly, a hippogriff secret!"

Emily squealed as Harry took out a square shaped box wrapped in shiny silver paper from his robes.

"Now hide that from Mum. We'll surprise her tonight, alright?" Harry whispered and his children nodded enthusiastically, jumping up and down.

Cho smiled from the doorway as she watched this pleasant exchange. Her arms folded across her chest as she leaned against the door frame in her Chinese styled bathrobe which had an exquisite red dragon that hissed quietly every now and then on the back.

Harry had given her that robe almost nine years ago for their first wedding anniversary. Her parents were, of course, thrilled saying it was a symbol of wealth, prosperity and good luck. Harry just said he thought it would look good on her.

"Now back to the house, you little buggers." Harry said affectionately as he pushed both of them back towards the house.

"Mum! Close your eyes! WE have to hide something!" William instructed as he and his sister rushed back to the house.

Emily shushed her brother as Cho covered her eyes playfully.

"I'm not peeking, I promise!" Cho said from behind her fingers.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief as his children and his wife drew back into the house closing the door. He ran a hand through his hair and disapparated.

_Meet my life at 32. _

_I had everything!_

_1 wife_

_2 kids_

_3 drinking buddies (Finnigan, Thomas and Macmillan)_

_4 loans from Gringott's _

_5 weeks vacationing in Egypt_

_6 years in the same bloody division_

_7 times my weight in paperwork_

_8 obligatory shags with the wife per quarter_

_9 times the world's population of Pure bloods, Half bloods, Muggle borns and Muggles themselves._

_And 10 years of not seeing my father._

_Pure unparalleled bliss!_

_The tyrant outfit I dreamt of as a kid._

_That was being adult._

_Having a 24 hour day _

_Spending 23 hours and 50 minutes of it asleep._

_Caught in an endless droning slumber of routines and routes._

Harry stood a few feet away from his old home in Godric's Hallow.

Gazing into the kitchen window, watching his father cooking himself breakfast.

Harry had spent the better part of those 10 years imagining himself knocking on the door, his father opening it and slamming it in his face.

It would be emotionally heart-rending and humiliating.

But at least it was some form of interaction between them.

At least it might somehow convince him to stop wasting every 10 minutes of his morning before work by just standing motionless outside his father's house.

As James levitated the bacon from the pan towards his plate and conjured a napkin from thin air. He paused and turned around feeling as if someone was watching him.

He thought he saw a figure cloaked in dark black robes outside his house but when he did a double take. The figure was gone and the street was deserted.

_About 40 such mishaps with my Dad had occurred during those 10 years._

_40 times where he would catch a glimpse of me outside the house before I disappear._

As Harry apparated into the Ministry, a flying purple memo hit him smack on the forehead.

"Bloody hell!" Harry muttered as he rubbed his forehead while bending down to pick up and unfold the memo.

**Potter! You are bloody late and you ARE GOING TO BLOODY PAY FOR IT! Your updated reports ON MUNDUNGUS FLETCHER BLACK MARKET TRADES ON MY TABLE IN 10 MINUTES! 10 MINUTES POTTER!**

The note was scrawled in the unmistakable penmanship of Ronald Weasley. Harry knew his arse was going to be pretty fried by now. Sighing as he scribbled on the back of Weasley's note.

**_Sorry. Had some family trouble before leaving. Son accidentally blew up kitchen. Be up in ten (__years)__ minutes._**

_96 lies to my boss. _

_No wait... make that 97._

Harry sent the interdepartmental memo away and heaved a deep sigh again as suddenly hundreds of wizards started apparating into the Ministry.

Brilliant. Bloody brilliant. Rush hour.

Harry walked briskly towards the elevator, fighting his way through the crowd of people already milling around it.

When he had exited unto his floor, Weasley burst out of his office, his face as red as his hair when his eyes landed on Harry.

"That report should have been on my desk yesterday, Potter! YESTERDAY!"

Harry took a deep breath trying to allow himself to keep calm.

"I'll have it on your desk in 10 minutes, sir."

"It bloody better be there Potter! Or your shite is going straight up to the Minister!" Weasley roared pointing at Harry threateningly before returning to his office.

Seamus Finnigan peeked up from his cubicle and whispered, "Wow, you got Weasley riper than a tomato, Potter. What d'you do this time? And what's that on your head?"

Harry rolled his eyes as he took a seat in his own cubicle and pointed to his forehead which had a slight dash of pink from where the memo had hit him, "Bloody bastard nearly chucked my head off with that memo of his."

Seamus chuckled, "Watch it there, mate. If Weasley hears you, there's gonna be more than a memo burn on that pretty forehead o' yours"

Dean Thomas who overheard their conversation from his cubicle, stood up to join in, "Memo burn eh? Hope it didn't leave a scar."

"I bloody hope not either." Harry said, looking at his reflection through his two way mirror which he used to keep in contact with other Aurors in his department.

As Harry fingered the dent in his forehead, Seamus slapped him on the back and laughed, "Looks almost like a lightning bolt, eh Potter?"

"Yeah!" Dean agreed, "Lucky it isn't a scar then we'd have to call you Scarhead, Potter!"

"Oh, sod off you gits!" Harry muttered as he flattened his hair over his bump to cover it while both his friends doubled over laughing.

He sifted through his parchments, looking over the Black Market reports and then deciding he didn't have enough time to revise them, gathered them in his arm and headed towards Weasley's office.

'Good luck in there, Scarhead!" Seamus teased as Harry closed the door behind him.

* * *

_123 nightmares of me being a tyrant at last..._

_But it wasn't meant to be_

_The Wizarding World had changed._

_Death, too._

_489 hours spent lingering next to my mother's grave in the night._

_Hoping I could hear Hermione sing "All you need is love" one more time._

_But it seems... I don't need her anymore._

_To think that Mum flew without a broomstick because of the game._

_I was way off..._

"Potter!"

Weasley's voice sprang Harry out from his reverie.

"Would you get your bloody head out of your arse for one minute!" Weasley sniped as he slammed his fist on the table.

"Sorry, sir. I was just about to say that we have ten years worth of evidence against Fletcher and his black market endeavours."

"Six months, Potter." Corrected his partner, Padma Patil.

Harry nodded, "Right, right. What did I say?"

"Ten years." Muttered Padma, still annoyed that she had to endure 20 minutes in Weasley's office waiting for Harry so they could give their report.

"Sorry. I mean we've ten months – err, six months of evidence comprised mostly of written confessions from traders under Veriteserum...."

_I was doing fine._

_Hadn't heard from Hermione for ten years._

_The dare ended today with the stress of a ticking clock._

_And no news, no sign of her._

_Seems she has already forgotten me._

_I hadn't._

_How could I when I saw her husband all over?_

_He'd become a national hero. That Bulgarian yeti!_

_Ever since United Kingdom recruited him as their seeker_

_His face was never out of the papers._

_Adulated by men, dreamt of by their wives_

"_Viktor: Bulgarian Heartthrob" of Witch Weekly_

_Top Seeker of the Year_

_The man made me hate Quidditch forever._

_Hate Quidditch with every fiber in my body._

_As for Hermione's life... I could just picture it..._

_It sucked._

Helen Granger stormed out of the Krums' residence. Throwing a stack of _Witch Weekly's_ magazines and photos in a rubbish bin and setting it aflame before she disapparated.

Apparently, being Viktor Krum's publicist wasn't an easy task, it becomes even more difficult when his wife turns out to be the one running the show... but when the wife happens to be your sister and could care less about you and your job, being Viktor Krum's publicist was an absolute NIGHTMARE.

Inside, Hermione and Viktor were oblivious to anything but each other.

"You really did not vant those pictures?" Viktor asked as his wife straddled him on his lap.

Hermione nuzzled Viktor's neck, "You looked like a bloated pygmy puff in those robes."

"But Natasha Stroenge, the Prophet's own star class photographer took those photographs." Viktor reasoned as Hermione hiked up her skirt.

Hermione drew back and rolled her eyes, "House elves could do a better job than that fat hag."

Viktor frowned but was suddenly appeased when Hermione gave him a long, lingering opened mouthed kiss.

"Umph!" Viktor suddenly groaned, "Vait... something is hurting my back."

Viktor leaned forward and pulled out a shining crystal ball from behind him.

"Oh look, Hermy! Your little teddy!"

Hermione took the glass orb and threw it behind her, "Teddies aren't made of glass you twat."

They shifted position with Viktor on top and Hermione underneath him.

Hermione ran her hands underneath her husband's shirt, "Tell me, Mister Viktor Stanislav Krum, have you said 'I love you' to your wife recently?"

Viktor grinned, "No. Not since yesterday. And you, Mrs. Krum, have you said you loved your husband?"

Hermione smirked, "No. Not for a hundred years. Nor have I ever said, '**'** But I think it's high time I did."

She leaned in to whisper in Viktor's ear, ""

Viktor leaned down and gave Hermione a passionate kiss.

"Do you have to go out tonight?" Hermione asked as Viktor pulled away from her.

Viktor nodded, "Have to. Ve have a victory party over at Mclaggen's house."

Hermione pouted, "Well, then. Before you go, will you not comfort your wife in the mean time?"

Viktor laughed, "I like that idea."

_No doubt about it. Hermione's forgotten all about me._

* * *

Harry's eyes stared hard at the front page of the Daily Prophet.

**KRUM LEADS UK TO THE QUIDDITCH FINALS!!!**

The rest of the page was made up of a gigantic photo of Krum with his fist in the air as his teammates collided into him on their brooms.

"I hate Quidditch." Muttered Harry.

Emily and William were busy tying their father up with ribbons and string.

"I dare you to do this and this and this and this and this!" William blabbered as he jumped up and down.

Emily was tying a bandana over her father's head.

Emily took a pillow and smashed it into her father's face while William playfully slapped his father's cheeks still chanting, "And this and this and this—"

Harry suddenly grabbed William's arms and shook him, "Do you DARE make a girl cry at her wedding? Or Laugh when you're sad? Keep silent for TEN YEARS! Are you game for that?"

William's lip slowly trembled and Harry, forgetting himself, released him slowly.

"William, I'm sorry. I didn't—"

Emily and William slowly withdrew and walked away quickly, afraid that their father might explode on them again.

Harry fell back on the couch with a groan.

Cho came out of the kitchen ranting, "I told Marietta that I would cover for her only once. ONCE! Just because I'm the resident Healer of the ward as well as her best friend doesn't mean that I could take all her patients in one go!"

Cho stopped and looked at Harry covered in multicoloured ribbons. She stifled a laugh as she started helping her husband out of the mess her children put him in.

"Honestly, you would think that I had five arms and twenty legs... Harry, are you even listening?" Cho laughed as Harry had not once glanced at her, instead his eyes fixated on the ceiling.

"No more than for the past ten years." Harry mumbled back.

"So, that's a no?" Cho asked teasingly as she untied the bandana from Harry's head.

Harry didn't say anything.

"Harry, darling, life after work does exist, you know?" Cho said as she trailed her finger down her husband's cheek and then smothered kisses on his lips.

Harry just let her do it almost as if he was a potted plant willing to get pushed around.

"Got problems with Weasley, today?" Cho asked.

Harry didn't answer as he looked back down at the newspaper.

"Darling, look at me!" Cho said as she tried to make Harry face her."You should have married him instead of me then."

Cho sighed exasperatedly, giving up trying to catch her husband's attention.

"Here." Cho said, handing him a package, "Look what he sent you by owl."

For the first time, Harry was zapped back to reality as he looked at what his wife dropped in his lap.

"My reports? Why here and not at the office?" Harry asked, confused, given that he remembered Weasley explicitly telling him that the Ministry wouldn't have his report reviewed till Friday and it was still Monday.

He looked at the tag on the box and only saw his name and address in black bold letters.

_I held my breath for 10 years_

_I felt like a dog that pissed on the rug_

_Waiting for a beating_

_And one Monday evening, it came._

_What a relief!_

Harry tore open the wrapping paper but just before he could open the box, he heard voices coming from the kitchen.

Harry got up slowly, putting the package aside on the couch.

"How are Harry and the kids?"

"They're great! Oh, it's so good to see you! And on our 10th anniversary!"

Harry walked into the kitchen finding his wife hugging a woman with long brown curls.

"Harry and the kids asleep yet?" the woman asked, still with her back to Harry.

"No, no." Cho answered back.

Harry swallowed hard as he ran a hand through his hair, he couldn't believe it. After all these years...

"Harry, darling, look who dropped by!" Cho said happily when she saw her husband.

The woman slowly turned around to face Harry.

"Hermione?" Harry whispered.

But to his dismay, it was NOT Hermione. It was one of Cho's old friends from Hogwarts.

"Hello Harry."

Harry felt tears start to cloud his vision, "Oh, hi Claudia... Good to see you. Excuse me, I have... I'll be right back."

Harry hurried out of the kitchen, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. When he looked up, he noticed a stream of bright orange and blue light shining from underneath the wrapping paper he had torn off earlier.

Harry's heart literally skipped two beats as he tossed away the wrapper to find his mother's crystal ball, right there on his living room couch.

A note was attached to it. It looked like a business card with Viktor Krum's pic on the front hugging a familiar brown haired woman and an address was typed out neatly underneath.

Scrawled in red ink on the back was a short message,

_**Are you game?**_

_**-Hermione-**_

Harry bit into his fist as he smiled and then laughed out loud with relief.

**(A few minutes later)**

"Can't you postpone your meeting?" Cho asked Harry as he made his excuse and was preparing to leave.

Harry shook his head, "I'm sorry Cho. I have to leave."

"But Claudia is here." Cho reasoned as she stood in front of the door, blocking it.

"Cho, please."

"Why won't you stay?" Cho said angrily as she pushed Harry back.

Harry ignored her and reached for the door knob.

"I want you to stay!" Cho ordered.

But after struggling for a few moments, Harry managed to slip out the door and disapparate.

Cho slammed the door hard as angry tears streamed down her face.


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry, FFN is being such a b***h. A lot of typos in the last few chaps. So sorry. Oh and in that scene where Hermione and Viktor were talking. She whispers that long line from Mary Poppins. Thanks for reading! ^_^**

* * *

Harry Potter stood on the grassy front lawn of a large manor. Looking around, he thought the house deserted as there was no sound or lights shining from inside the windows.

Harry approached the door, trying to look presentable as he pulled on his robes and tried to flatten his unmanageable black hair.

Just when he was about to knock, Harry noticed that the door was ajar. No. Not just ajar but the handle was broken and the knocker ripped off violently.

Harry pushed open the door slowly and peeked in. "Hermione?"

Silence greeted him as he stepped inside.

Harry felt a strange tingling in his feet and arms as he walked further inside the house. As if his whole body had gone numb. Then just as quickly as it happened, the numbing sensation left him.

Confused and bewildered, Harry looked about the house.

The house was pitch black, only dimly lit by the glow of the streetlights. The place was a complete mess, with broken chandeliers and sculptures littering the floor, ripped papers, shredded books and furniture turned over. Five broken chairs lay crippled against the wall as if they had been slammed against it. Harry thought he smelled something burning and he looked up to find that where there must have been a giant portrait before, now there was nothing but charred ash hanging within the blackened gold frame.

On the other wall, Harry saw a dark green symbol carved on the wall. A symbol Harry knew all too well. It was the symbol of the Death Eaters. A green skull with a serpent coming out of its open mouth.

Voldemort's former followers who scattered after his defeat became roaming psychopaths on the loose with minds not entirely their own after being poisoned beyond hope by the Dark Lord's magic. Only very few of them were left on the run, since most of them were already rotting in Azkaban, but those still free were mostly in hiding. It was very rare to find them openly engaging in some abhorrent activity... but then again peculiar cases involving them came up every now and then as well.

Harry looked to his right and saw a faint silver light shining from another room. He pulled out his wand and cautiously walked in to find a dark figure hunched on the floor.

Harry pointed his wand at the figure as he slowly approached.

"Who are you? Where's Hermione?" Harry asked with his wand held high.

The figure slowly turned around and Harry gasped when he saw it was Hermione herself. She wore a midnight blue dress robe that was ripped in all places and her brown locks tumbled down her fair shoulders. There were deep gashes on her forehead and shoulders.

But Hermione didn't seem to be as hurt as Harry thought she would be. She smiled devilishly when she saw Harry and coyly placed a finger to her lips.

"Shhhh..."

Harry lowered his wand, curious as to what she was up to.

Harry saw that she had conjured a patronus, a shiny silver otter.

Turning back to face it, Hermione whispered in a frantic voice, "This is Hermione Krum! Please! Send help! There's a Death Eater in my house! I've placed a disapparation charm on him and tried to immobilize him, but his power overcame mine! He's coming! He's at the door! I can't stay much longer! Please help! Ahhhhhhhhhh!"

Hermione screamed and made a flicking motion with her wand making her patronus disappear into thin air.

Hermione faced Harry with a sadistic smile and said, "I've already timed them. My patronus is delivering my message to the Aurors at the Ministry. They'll be here in two minutes. Put this on."

Hermione tossed Harry a dark black cloak and a mask.

The clock in the room made an ominous sound as its second hand ticked.

Harry looked at the items Hermione gave him and started to chuckle slowly when he finally realized her plan. The whole thing was a set up. All this was a game and he was the pawn set to make the next move. The whole thing was... bloody brilliant Hermione's handiwork: from the Dark Mark to the demolished house to the fake wounds to the disapparation charm. A disapparation charm! What a fool he was not to have recognized it when he came in!

His chuckles slowly turned into loud laughter as he leaned back on the wall, utterly overwhelmed by the brilliance of the trap.

Hermione easily joined him and soon both of them were in complete hysterics, their laughter resounding in the silent house.

1 minutes and 15 seconds left.

Harry looked to his right and saw that there was still one beautiful Ming vase left unbroken atop a table. Looking at Hermione, he held up his hand.

"No!" Hermione said through her laughter, "That's my favourite vase from China! Please... It cost millions of Gall—"

Harry lifted an eyebrow mockingly and knocked it over without hesitation and it broke into a thousand pieces on the floor.

Both Harry and Hermione doubled over in laughter.

Hermione recovered first after a few moments. Taking two breaths, she whispered, "Ten years is a long time."

30 seconds.

"Yes, a very long time." Harry answered back smiling.

They stared at each other in silence.

5 seconds.

Harry heard the sound of voices coming from the outside. He grinned even wider when he recognized Ronald Weasley barking commands.

Hermione kicked a broomstick towards him and then biting her lip, Hermione taunted, "Fly, Potter."

Harry grabbed the broom, tugged on the black garment and smashed through the glass side door.

As Harry ran outside and jumped on the broom, he could Hermione screaming inside the house.

"VIKTOR'S FIREBOLT 1000! HE'S TOOK IT! OUT THERE! HE WENT THAT WAY!"

_Good old Hermione!_

_We were back in the game!_

_Pure, raw, explosive pleasure!_

Harry laughed out loud in to the night air as he flew over the trees. Finally! The freedom and the adrenalin he craved for all these years were surging through his veins. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest as he held both his fists up in the air.

The cold night breeze was smacking his face as he sped up, leaning forward on the broom. He could hear the Aurors coming after him on their broomsticks and he pulled on the mask with one hand.

_Better than firewhisky!_

_Better than goblin smack!_

_Better than pop-blow-fuck-jizz-crack-sniff-shots-potion-licking-cauldron-snorting-black-giants on speed!._

_Better than sex, orgies, porn, giving head, eating out, 69, wanking off, Kuma Sutra and Thai doggy style!_

Harry screamed in wild abandon and laughed with his head thrown back as he flew through clouds and past a flock of flying geese. The Aurors hot on his tail, almost upon him.

Jets of red and green lights flew past Harry as the Aurors were close enough to throw hexes and curses at him.

_Better than chugging down 20 different Bertie Bott's flavored beans all in one go!_

_Better than taking down a ten foot troll in a bathroom or spearing a basilisk with a sword through its mouth!_

_Better than being chased by mad werewolves and giant spiders! Flying on hippogriffs! Turning back time!_

_Better than stealing dragon eggs! Eating gillyweed! Getting lost in a maze! Dancing like a loony at a stupid ball! _

_Better than breaking prophecies! Falling into pensieves! Destroying half the Ministry!_

_Better than Felix Felicis and Amortentia! Breaking rules! Destroying evil psychopaths' distorted souls!_

Harry felt a burning pain on his arm as a red flash of light grazed his side. He took out his wand and started shouting curses back behind him.

_Better than Marauder maps! Butterbeer! Unicorn's blood! Ton-tongue Toffees! Skiving Snacks! Canary Creams! Fake lockets! Flying Ford Anglias! Elder Wands!_

_Better than sorcerer stones! Secret chambers! Azkaban prisoners! Fire goblets! Phoenixes! Half-ass princes and Dead Hallows!_

_Better than freedom, better than life!_

Harry felt two more curses hit him and he groaned in pain as he struggled to regain control of his broomstick which was spiralling downwards.

Harry saw that he was nearing the ground fast. Below him was a small farm and from above Harry saw that he was headed straight for the barn.

The Aurors saw the dark figure spiral and crash into a barn below but just before they could land and seize the perpetrator, the entire barn abruptly burst into flames.

Weasley halted his team as the fires roared and grew bigger, engulfing the wooden building.

"Stay back! Don't go in!" Weasley ordered.

"_Aguamenti! Aguamenti!_" The Aurors tried putting it out by conjuring up water but the flames had grown too out of control.

"Leave it!" Weasley growled, staring up the billowing black smoke.

"Sir! Look there's someone coming out!" one of the Aurors cried out as they saw a figure crawling out of the burning barn. It stopped and seemed to lay down a few feet away.

Two Aurors ran towards the figure. Seamus Finnigan was one of them.

As Seamus drew near, he noticed something glowing on the ground. Stopping to pick it up, he held up a spotless crystal ball, gleaming red and orange... same as the hues of the blazing fires that were razing the barn down.

* * *

Viktor had just arrived and was talking with Aurors.

Hermione was standing at the window staring outside when she suddenly spotted a giant barn owl headed straight towards her. She immediately flung open the window and the barn owl landed on her windowsill, a note attached to its leg.

Hermione gasped when she saw the emblem of St. Mungo's on the seal of the envelope. Taking the note from the owl's leg, she hurriedly tore open the letter.

_This letter is for Mrs. Harry Potter._

_Your husband is with us right now in the emergency ward. He has been in a terrible accident. He requests your immediate presence. We shall not speak of the extent of his injuries in this letter as per his wishes but we urge you to come as soon as you can._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Healer Dermtrod_

"Are you alright, Hermy?" Viktor asked as he approached Hermione.

Hermione looked up to face him and said urgently, "We have to go to St. Mungo's!"

**(Five minutes later)**

"I do not understand, vhy did he send YOU the letter meant for his vife!" Viktor argued as he and Hermione strode through the front doors of St. Mungo's.

"He must have given the wrong address." Hermione reasoned as she approached the front desk to ask where his room was.

"He's on the sixth floor in the fire victims ward." Hermione said after she had talked with the receptionist.

"Vhy are vee here, Hermy? You vere just attacked by a Death Eater!" Viktor grumbled as they entered the elevators.

"I told you, Viktor! He's my oldest friend. We go way back. Besides, I'm fine!" Hermione said as she crossed her arms.

"Oldest friend? And you have never introduced us?" Viktor prodded.

Hermione ignored him as she watched the numbers light up on their respective floors.

"Hermy-oh-ninny!" Viktor said opting to call her his own version of her full first name which meant he was serious, "Who is this? If it is who I think, I vill kill him!"

"Too late for that." Hermione retorted as she exited the elevator.

"Stay here." Hermione instructed as she headed for the fire victims ward. When she turned a corner she overhead a few wizards in black Auror robes standing outside a door conversing in a low tone.

"That Potter's a hero!"

"Yeah, I heard he took on that Death Eater all by himself before that no good Death Biter burned the whole damn barn! Mighty lucky Potter got out! Shame we didn't get that D.E. though."

"Was Potter with the team? Didn't see him show up."

"Didn't notice either. But Weasley says he must have turned up at the last second. Not like Potter to miss a Death Eater chase, eh?"

"Yeah, he's a right impulsive one, that Potter is. Look where it's got him now."

Hermione's heart started to beat more quickly as she bypassed them and headed towards the fire victim's ward.

When she opened the door, she saw a line of curtained beds on both sides of the large ward.

A crystal ball that was sitting on one of the side tables caught Hermione's attention. She walked towards the table and picked up the crystal ball. It felt cool in her hands despite what it had just been through. Placing it back down, Hermione turned towards the curtained bed.

She gripped one side of the curtain and slowly drew it to the side.

"Oh Sweet Merlin!" Hermione exclaimed as she took one look and then turned around gasping for air as she covered her mouth with both hands.

The figure lying on the bed was burnt completely from head to toe. The skin was the color of charcoal and the face was unrecognizable.

Hermione pushed the curtains closed and then hurried out of the fire ward as fast as she could, starting to feel a sickening feeling in her stomach.

She didn't even take a second glance back as she almost sprinted back to the elevators, almost collapsing into Viktor's arms as he led her back into the elevator.

_To be honest, I was real mad at Hermione for that one_

_I swore that once back on my feet I would pay her back._

_And over time, you forgive, laugh about it even._

_After all... it's only a game._

* * *

Harry Potter drew back his curtain after Hermione had rushed out of the room. He was guffawing silently, holding his stomach as he rolled out of bed. Still trying to keep in laughter in considerable volume, he managed to stand and walk towards the bed on the opposite side of the room, taking the crystal ball from the table.

"Sorry about that, mate." Harry chuckled as he addressed the patient behind the curtains, "Had to pay a friend back, you see. Hope you're feeling loads better, though. Cheers!"

Harry tossed the crystal ball in the air a few times as he laughed at his brilliant attempt at revenge.

When Harry saw the Healers wheel in a completely burned man who had barely survived after a cauldron accident at his home, Harry couldn't pass up the opportunity, it was too good to resist! Harry knew that his wife was already on his way but he persuaded Healer Dermtrod to send a note anyway. Harry secretly changed the address when the healer turned his back and winking at the hospital's owl, whispered, "Hermione Potter, my wife, you know where she lives don't you?"

And the owl took flight before the Healer had a chance to give it instructions.

Harry's armand ribs were in bandages and the only third degree burns he suffered were on his back and on the side of his right arm. All in all, he was a lucky bastard to manage to survive falling 150 feet and crashing into a barnyard roof. The haystack broke his fall slightly but crushed some of his ribs in the process. But over all, he was alive and well.

He knew he couldn't outrun the Aurors for long, so after his fall, he tore off the Death Eater costume and set the barn aflame. Harry also knew he had to come up with a cock-and-bull story to save his arse from getting sent to Azkaban.

So, after deliberately burning himself, he crawled his way out of the barn and collapsed outside.

When he came to, he saw that he was in St. Mungo's with Weasley standing above him snorting like a threatened bull, ready to grill him about the incident.

Harry was relieved that Veriteserum wasn't forced on him as he began his fabricated tales.

According to Harry, he had heard about the incident and was actually following the squad from the ground. He saw the Death Eater about to crash into the barn and so slipped in before the Aurors landed, which explains why they didn't see him. The Death Eater had been injured from the fall but still made good use of his wand, casting _Incendio_ on the hay intending to burn Harry alive with him. Harry had reacted too late, hitting the D.E. with a disarming spell after the fire spell had been cast. Harry could not get to the Death Eater as the flames spread too fast but he did manage to escape... barely with his life.

So, as far-fetched as his story might be to his own mind, Weasley and the other Aurors gobbled it up readily and believed him. Not only DID they believe him, they were going to persuade the Ministry to give him a medal for "Exceptional Bravery and Service to the Wizarding Community" as well as a promotion for a higher rank in the department. Weasley wasn't bent on giving up his post as Head Auror but did propose giving Potter more authority as well as his own office with the title CHIEF AUROR ADVISER AND DARK ARTS SPECIALIST.

Harry just couldn't believe his luck! So he was in high spirits as he exited the fire victims ward. The other Aurors saw him coming and started giving him congratulatory slaps on the back and teasing him jokingly.

"Potter! There ya are, mate! We were just talking about you!" Seamus said as he playfully tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Yeah!" Dean chimed in, "I was just saying how your bloody impulsivity almost got you KILLED but landed you a promotion AND a bigger raise anyway, you lucky git!"

His wife Cho suddenly appeared around the corner, sighing in exasperation when she saw her husband, "Harry, where were you? I've been looking everywhere."

"Sorry, forgot something." Harry mumbled in excuse after the other Aurors bid Harry goodbye and good luck, wishing him well on his promotion.

"Are you okay?" Cho asked checking the bandages on his back.

"Yes, I'm fine. Brilliant, actually." Harry said with a grin.

Cho led him over to a vacant gurney inside an empty room and expertly peeled off the thin sheet covering her husband's burned back.

She started to swab some herbal salve on his back, "This is going to sting a little."

Harry sucked in his breath but chuckled afterwards as he was lost in a daze, "No, that's nothing."

Healer Dermtrod suddenly appeared in the doorway, "Ah, Healer Potter. There you are. I have your husband's potion ready. How is he?"

"As good as can be expected." Cho replied grimly as she placed back Harry's bandages.

"Here you go, Harry." Healer Dermtrod said as he handed Harry a bubbling brownish potion.

Harry gulped it down with a grimace. It tasted like rotten cabbage. But then as he lay back down on the gurney, he started sniggering to himself.

"A night in the hospital for our tenth anniversary." Cho grumbled as she passed an annoyed look to Healer Dermtrod.

Harry continued laughing as if someone had just told him an extremely hilarious joke.

"What did you put in that potion?" Cho asked as she looked at her colleague curiously.

Healer Dermtrod shrugged, "Nothing. It's probably the aftershock. It happens sometimes even to the best of Aurors."

Harry was caught up in his own world. Completely oblivious to anything but his well played prank, but then taking out the crystal ball from his pocket and snickering while staring at it, his laughter slowly faded when he saw something within the crystal ball.

Harry stared intently at the glass orb, holding it up for a better look. And there she was.

Hermione's face was there in the mid of the swirling and shifting hues. She was laughing that gorgeous laugh with her brown hair fluttering with the wind. She was looking directly at Harry and beaming with her brown eyes full of joy... and love.

Love... Desire... My heart's desire...

Memories of what his mother had told him long ago when he was a little boy came rushing back and Harry suddenly felt as if he had woken up after a long, long sleep. His face in anguish...

"Merlin! What have I done? Hermione... Hermione... Hermione forgive me!"


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it took me a while and another apology for the briefness of the chapter. But don't worry. Final Chap will be up soon! Cheers!**

* * *

Hermione was back at home lying on her couch, which she had magically repaired, hugging a pillow close to her chest as she sobbed into it.

Viktor was busy magically setting their home right. His task involved fixing the statues and the chandeliers, setting back the books and the furniture and cleaning up the debris on the floor.

"Damn! How to get this bloody Death Eater mark off the vall?" Viktor murmured to himself before cursing in Bulgarian.

"It's just paint. You can wash it off with that cleansing solution under the sink." Hermione responded between sobs on the couch.

"How do you know that?" Viktor asked curiously.

Hermione didn't reply as she bit her lip and fresh tears started coming out of her eyes.

Viktor sighed as he placed his wand back in his pocket, "I apologize for earlier on. I don't know vhy I..."

Viktor slowly approached the couch and he sighed again as he brushed Hermione's cheek with his hand, "Everything's gonna be alright, Hermy. Viktor is here."

Hermione didn't respond even to Viktor's affection.

Viktor continued, "I don't even care if half the house vas torn apart. I am just happy you are safe."

At this, Hermione sobbed even harder into the pillow.

Viktor shook his head and said a few expressions in Bulgarian, "Vat a fucking day."

Suddenly Hermione quieted as she stared into the flames of their fireplace. As she did, she heard a faraway voice in her head that seemed to be calling her name. The voice suddenly became clearer and she recognized it...

"Harry?" Hermione whispered as she stared into the flames.

It was his voice! And he calling her!

"Harry!"

Realization gradually dawned upon her as she burst out laughing amid her tears. She took deep gasps as she covered her face in her hands.

"How could I have been so blind?" Hermione asked herself as she smiled, staring into the flames.

"Hermy? Are you alright?" Viktor asked with concern.

"I have to get back to the hospital!" Hermione said, suddenly standing up and heading to the door.

"Vaatt?!" Viktor asked angrily stopping her by grabbing her arm.

"Let me go, Viktor! I have to get to back to the hospital." Hermione said squirming out of his grasp and racing out the door, apparating before Viktor could get to her.

* * *

Harry ran out of the room and headed towards the elevators. He quickly pressed the ground floor button a dozen times before the elevator doors closed. Fidgeting uncontrollably in the elevator, he sprinted out of it when it reached the bottom floor and the doors opened.

Looking around the lobby full of people, he shouted, "HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"

His eyes searched the crowd but he didn't see her. The receptionist was glaring at him and reprimanding him to be quiet but he ignored her.

"Harry!" Hermione cried out as she appeared in the front doors of the hospital.

Harry gave a small relieved smile as he walked slowly towards her with the crystal ball in his hand, Hermione was moving towards him as well.

They met midway. The busy lobby around them fading into the background. They only saw each other.

A soft, longing look was in their eyes as they smiled at each other, saying simultaneously,

"Game."

Suddenly a strong arm pushed Harry away. Viktor pointed at Harry threateningly before grabbing Hermione by the arm and dragging her towards the front doors.

"Harry!" Hermione cried out reaching for him, "Harry I beg of you!"

"Harry!" This time it was Cho calling him as she exited the elevators, "Look at me! Wait, Harry!"

Harry ran after Hermione as Viktor pulled her out of the doors.

It was pouring outside the abandoned department store called Purge & Dowse Ltd which was the exterior of St. Mungo's on the Muggle side.

Hermione was struggling out of Viktor's grasp, hitting him and admonishing him so that he couldn't concentrate enough to apparate them both anywhere.

"Hermione!" Harry called as he exited through the glass window of the store.

"You stay a-vay Potter!" Viktor growled.

"Harry." This came from Hermione as a breathless whisper.

Harry swallowed hard and then opened his mouth,

"There's nothing you can do that can't be done.

Nothing you can sing that can't be sung."

"Harry! Come back!" Cho cried as she exited from the window herself.

"Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game. It's easy!"

Harry approached Hermione who had sprung free of Viktor's grasp and was smiling softly at Harry as he continued to sing. Viktor froze and was glaring from Harry to Hermione in fury. Cho was in tears. They were all drenched in the rain.

"All you need is love! All you need is love! All you need is love, love... love is all you need." Harry said as he came really close to Hermione, the crystal ball still in his hand.

"Harry, the kids are waiting for us!" Cho sobbed as she continued crying.

Viktor was cursing wildly in Bulgarian.

"Nothing you can make... nothing you can save that can't be..." Harry's voice became whispers as he reached up to touch Hermione's face.

_Problem was, I couldn't quite remember the words to the entire song_

_But my heart was in it..._

_All that could stop me was a massive hex straight through my body._

Harry leaned in almost close enough to kiss Hermione and she was tilting her head up waiting for him. Just then, Harry felt a blast of magic pierce through his stomach and he was blown away backwards until his head collided with the hard bricks of the forlorn building. Harry's eyes rolled in the back of his head and he blacked out.

"You sick bastard!" Hermione spat out angrily as she slapped Viktor across the face, "Fucking sick bastard!"

Viktor shoved Hermione back and then disappeared into thin air.

Hermione rushed to Harry's side calling out his name desperately, "Harry! Harry!"

She held his face in her hands and shook him, "Wake up! Please wake up!"

But Harry didn't respond. His skin was cold and wet and he lay there unmoving. Hermione started to cry, her tears mixed with the rain as she shouted at him, "Don't you dare leave me alone! Wake up! I beg of you Harry! Please, do it for me! Open your eyes! Come back! Come back to me!"

Harry lay as still as before.

"Please don't leave me all alone." Hermione begged as she held his head close to her shoulder. Holding him to her as she rocked him back and forth.

Hermione did not know how long she held him but when she carefully lay his head back to rest against the wall, the rain had stopped and the place was silent.

Cho had disappeared right after Krum did, so it was just Harry and Hermione alone in the wet, dark night.

Hermione stared at Harry, her brown hair was plastered against her face and was still dripping wet. Her clothes clung to her body like a second skin.

Hermione looked to her side and noticed the crystal ball lying some feet ahead where Harry had been standing before being thrown back by Viktor's hex. She pulled out her wand and summoned the glass orb to her, catching it in her right hand. The ball was glowing a lot softer now, in clean pastel colors and not the usual vibrant brightness it used to have before.

Then pointing her wand at Harry's chest, she muttered, "_Ennervate!_"

But Harry did not stir even after the magic hit him. Hermione threw her wand aside in frustration.

Hermione swallowed hard and looked from the crystal ball to back at Harry. She shook her head, "No... no that's too easy."

Hermione held up the crystal ball, "You don't deserve it! Come! Come and get it!"

Her hand trembled as she held up the glass, when Harry still did not move, she yelled, "Don't leave me. Game or not?"

Hermione pounded on Harry's chest as she repeated, "Game or not? Harry, do you hear me? I know you can hear me! Come back to me. Game or not?"

Then hitting his chest for the final time, Hermione screamed, "HARRY!!!"

All of a sudden, Harry's eyes flew open and he started coughing and wheezing as he took deep breaths.

Hermione broke down in relief as she hugged Harry once again, "Oh, Harry.. I thought I— I thought.."

"I heard you." Harry rasped, "I heard your voice... calling me. It brought me back... You brought me back."

Hermione smiled through her tears as she pushed back Harry's drenched hair and pressed her lips to his forehead.


	12. Final Chapter

**A/N: Hello everyone! Apologies for the super late final chapter! I had exams and papers to do but I am finally FREE! So enjoy this last chapter! I was kind of a hurry so forgive any grammatical/plot mistakes or anything! I will think up a new story to rip off soon, so stay tuned!!! And have a fantastic day!**

**(A few hours later)**

Harry and Hermione were standing together in the center of what seemed to be a very large room with a very high ceiling. All around them were marble statues of men and women from distant ages and places. It was almost as if they were in the middle of a sculpture museum.

"Hermione, what is this place?" Harry asked as he faced Hermione.

Hermione smiled as she placed her arms around Harry's neck, "It's the room behind the locked door, Harry. Once, before I became Viktor's trophy wife, I was an Unspeakable intern."

"Yes, I remember."

Hermione continued, "During one of our training sessions, we were briefed on the Entrance Room which was the large circular room full of doors we just came through. We were told that each of the rooms held a certain mystery of life such as Time, Prophecies, Thought, Space, Death and this ever locked room that not even the most powerful spell could open. Well, being the curious little bugger that I am. I knew I had to get in there, and I did and here we are."

"But— how Hermione?" Harry asked.

Hermione grinned mischievously and shook her head, "Not even you will know that, Harry."

Harry was about to ask something else but Hermione put a finger to his lips.

"Hush. We don't have enough time. To answer your first question, though. Look around you Harry. This is what the room holds. Statues of lovers locked together for eternity. And that is what the room is. This is the room of Love." Hermione explained as she caressed Harry's face with her hand.

"_Diligo est immortalis , diligo est eternus , diligo est vita. Permissum is exsisto paro calx_" Hermione uttered as she pointed her wand towards the ceiling.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Harry asked.

"It's just an incantation Harry. It was written above the doorway. Now our love would be set into stone as well." Hermione replied simply as she casually flung her wand aside.

Harry felt the ground start to shake and from above a bright white light flooded the whole room. It was then that Harry knew what was going to happen, but strangely, he was not afraid at all.

Hermione smiled again, "We'll never leave each other."

"Never." Harry replied smiling back.

Hermione threw her arms around Harry and he held her fast to him, running his fingers down her back as he kissed her neck. The crystal ball was held tightly in Hermione's right hand.

_To win this game, you need a pretty crystal ball, a pretty girl and to hell with the rest!_

Harry and Hermione were locked in a tight embrace as the ground started to shake even harder. Harry suddenly couldn't feel his feet anymore and when he looked down, he saw that they had frozen into hard marble.

Hermione pulled back a little just to rest her head against Harry's. She could feel both their hearts racing as they started breathing a little quicker.

"There were a few things I was game for that you never asked." Harry told Hermione as he could feel his legs growing numb.

"Like what?" Hermione asked with a playful grin.

"Eating dungbombs, insulting Squibs and... loving you like mad!" Harry responded with all seriousness as he held Hermione's face in his hand.

Hermione bit her lip and smiled with tears in her eyes. She leaned in to kiss Harry and he kissed her back more fiercely.

She gripped the back of his head, pulling him closer as to deepen their kiss. Harry tilted his head and made his tongue explore every inch of her mouth.

Soon they couldn't move their hands anymore and their shoulders were slowly turning to hard rock.

"I love you Harry." Hermione whispered against his lips.

"I love you so much more." Harry said back as he continued kissing her.

Another flash of blinding white light covered the whole room for a few moments and a soft rumble resounded as the ground stopped shaking at last.

As the light cleared, two new statues were created in the middle of the room.

It was of a man and woman locked in a passionate kiss with their arms around each other. Just by the side of their feet lay a small round stone that had tiny specks of glass surrounding it, reflecting all the beautiful colors of the rainbow.

It is said that if you could look closely into the specks of glass, you could somehow see a little boy handing a little girl a brilliantly colored crystal ball.

_And that's how we won the game_

_Together. Happy._

_And frozen in cold marble, we finally shared our childhood dream, the dream of an endless love._

* * *

EPILOGUE

**(At the Elder Wands Home for the Aging)**

An elderly couple were sitting together in the common room, the man was drinking a cup of tea while the woman was doing the crossword puzzle in a Daily Prophet paper.

"Hmm... French word.." The woman muttered as she tapped the arm of her chair with the nib of her quill.

She looked at the old man, "Do you know how to spell _ménage a trios_?"

The old man shook his head, "Never wrote it."

"Hmm... maybe it's another word perhaps. _Connasse_ ? _Branlette_ ? _Niquer_? _Tringle_?" The old woman enumerated as she thought aloud.

"What are those supposed to mean?" The old man on the chair asked with amusement.

"Oh, the usual." The woman answered as she smiled at him, "Wanking, slag, fuck, and boner. But they don't have enough letters to fill in the blanks though."

Other elderly people sitting on the table nearby were starting to shoot glares towards the vulgar old lady, but she didn't seem to notice.

The old man chuckled, "I know _bistouquette_ is French for penis. Does that work?"

"Does yours?" the woman asked back, lifting an eyebrow.

An old lady in a wheelchair behind them gasped in horror at such language.

The old man shrugged his shoulders again and chuckled as a fleet of Healer assistants came marching towards him and his partner.

**(A few minutes later)**

"Was that really necessary? This is the fifth time this week you both have been brought to me." The headHhealer of the institution asked the elderly couple standing before her.

"Have you even thought about what your children would think after I owl them?" she continued, "And what about—"

The Healer stopped in mid-sentence when she heard a strange sound. Her eyes widened with shock when she found out that the sound was actually the old man urinating on her pristine white rug which was now a dark yellowish color.

The old woman snickered behind her hand as the head Healer glared at the both of them.

**(Later that day)**

The elderly couple were outside enjoying the late summer afternoon as they lounged on their soft chairs. They were both laughing as the old man handed a brilliantly glowing crystal ball over to his wife.

"It's getting dark." The old man said, "Reckon we should be heading back in?"

The old woman replied, "No need for that. We've got light."

Taking out her wand, she levitated the crystal ball over their heads, and as the sky began to darken, the crystal ball glowed even brighter, dousing the both of them in soft shifting rainbow colors. As it turned above them, it was almost as if they were under a disco ball.

"Now, isn't that lovely?" The old woman whispered smiling. Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small beaded bag.

"I nicked these from the kitchens earlier." The old woman said, "One treacle tart for you and one for me."

She opened the bag and took out the desserts one by one. The tiny bag had an undetectable extension charm which could contain anything the holder placed into it even if the things would seem a lot larger than the bag itself.

"Oh! Would you fancy a pumpkin pie instead? There's only one left." The old woman took out the pumpkin pie slice that was on a plate.

"I think I'll give you the pumpkin pie since you're nice and I'll have the cream puff. Is that alright, Harry?" The old woman said beaming like a child who had just won a game as she glanced at her husband.

Harry smiled back and then sitting up from his chair, he leaned over a planted a kiss on his wife's lips.

Their kisses held many memories for them, reminding them of the many others they used to share:

Once in the pouring rain...

Once underneath a white canopy...

Once beside the train tracks...

Once outside a beautiful restaurant in Paris...

Once inside the Hogwarts library...

And their first kiss was when they were both 10 years old when she had nothing special that day and he had just handed her his mother's crystal ball to share.

Harry broke the kiss and leaned back, whispering softly and sweetly, "I love you, Hermione."

Hermione's lips trembled as she smiled and a happy tear rolled down her face as she rubbed her husband's face affectionately with her hand.

They both lay back on their lounging chairs eating their desserts and watching as the stars started to twinkle and the moon began to rise. The crystal ball shining above them as they reflected on their past.

Throughout their entire lives, they came to realize one special thing: All you need is love.

_Hermione is my best friend._

**THE END**


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